Tribulations
by MrsB108
Summary: Spoilers: A collection of dramatic snippets written from possible scenarios spoiled for Season Four & Season Five of Stargate Atlantis, heavily focusing on John and Teyla.
1. Chapter 1

_Spoilers for Season Four_

_Random clips I've written about J/T. When hearing about certain things for Season Four (i.e John and Teyla have a heated argument or Teyla becomes a Wraith Queen) I ended up writing little snippets of different scenarios I'd pictured. I thought I'd just start keeping a collection of them. And a giant thanks to NinaM for finding the one I'd thought I'd lost._

_Note: More chapters will be added as a continuation of the Wraith story has been requested - - Please leave a review!_

**Wraith Clippet #1**

John was held on either side by large Wraith males, both faces shrouded with a faceless, blank mask. Neither of them spoke nor gestured as they dragged his beaten body down the long, echoing, green hallway.

John's head was pounding and his heart wrenched at the thought of what he would find behind the looming, large double doors at the end of the hall.

The hallway seemed endless and when they finally arrived, the guard to his left held open the door as the other led him in silently.

His feet dragging as he was pulled, they approached an ornate throne decorated with what resembled human bones of all shapes and sizes. Two more faceless Wraith stood erect and motionless on either side of the throne with long spears held regally in their clawed hands.

John gasped as he tried to contain his sudden urge to be sick, as at last, his gaze rested upon the throne and the elegantly robed creature that rested somberly upon it.

_Teyla._

Her face was mangled as a Wraith, but still much remained of her beautiful Athosian features. Her body slightly discolored and her hair a wispy silver white lay curved upon her shoulders and she was clad in a long, deep, red robe that extended far beyond her length of body.

The guards held John taut as he felt his knees weaken in despair and called out her name in a breathless gasp,_ "Teyla….."_

Her eyes fixed on him and her chin raised high, she gracefully stepped down from her throne, taking confident strides towards him, her robe trailing neatly behind her. She neared him and with an evil look she snarled deeply, peering in his face. "I am Attar and you will kneel when you speak to me, human."

One of the guards kicked him hard behind his knees and he dropped wincing towards the floor. She bent down to his disbelieving face and leaned in close, dragging a long, clawed fingernail across his cheek.

His face was defiant and yet his eyes revealed his true emotions." Your lover is gone, Colonel. Your lingering desire for her is _pathetic_. You will do what we ask of you, for your Lantian gene may very well save your worthless, little life."

John stared into her face and had never felt so alone in his life. "Teyla, I know you're in there somewhere. Please..._ hear me_," he begged as his eyes filled with tears. "You can fight this, you're the strongest person I know! You have to be strong! Please!"

Teyla stood staring down at him, her head tilted to the side listening. Her blackened eyes seemed to waver for a moment and she held out her hand cupping his trembling chin and watched the torment dance upon his face. John thought for one gleaming moment he saw her beautiful brown eyes pierce through the darkened features and felt her hand quiver against his skin.

But then…

"Take this thing from my sight," she scowled at her guards. "He will do as we ask or he will suffer a fate much worse than death." And she gave Colonel Sheppard a sickening smile, baring her mangled teeth. As he was being roughly hauled back through the double doors, his heart sank and he continued screaming a name that no longer belonged to the beautiful woman he once knew. "Teyla!…..TEYLA!! PLEASE!!""

**John and Teyla Have A Moment**

"John may I speak with you?"

John looked up at Teyla's face. "Of course."

"In private, please," she asked smiling hesitantly looking around the crowded lunchroom.

"Uh…sure," John said awkwardly as he got up from the table, tossed his lunch into the bin and silently led the way down the hall to an empty training room.

As soon as the door shut behind them he turned, "You're starting to freak me out, Teyla. What's going on?" His face was puzzled as her eyes searched the floor.

"I am leaving Atlantis, Colonel," she said in a small voice.

John put a finger to his ear and shook it mockingly, "I'm sorry. I must have heard you wrong. It sounded like you said you're leaving Atlantis."

She drew in a breath and met his disbelieving gaze. "That _is_ what I said. I am leaving to find my people. I just finished speaking with Colonel Carter and we came to an understanding. Atlantis cannot afford to keep their search as a top priority and I cannot stand by and do nothing for every day they go unfound."

John felt his throat start to close up and a desperate anxiety began to course through his veins, pumping his heart at a rapid speed.

"Teyla, this is crazy! We can look for them while were on other missions! The resources Atlantis can provide you in finding them are irreplaceable!" He noticed the resolve in her face and it frightened him even more, as he knew how stubborn she could be. He continued nervously as he crossed his arms.

"Well, I just won't allow it. You're part of _my_ team and I'm not letting you go anywhere," he said his voice catching.

Teyla tried to smile but her mouth quivered into a strange frown instead. "I am sorry, John. What is done, is done," she said sadly. "I am leaving."

His mind wracked trying to think of an excuse for her to stay and when he said nothing she turned, poised to leave. He grabbed her arm hard and twisted her back towards him.

"Please…._stay_," he said quietly. "_Stay...with me_." His eyes probing hers in the hopes that she could read the message hidden behind them.

"They need me, John," she said her eyes filling with tears as he still gripped her arms tight. "I am responsible for all of them."

John took a deep breath, his body trembling. "They aren't the only ones who need you, Teyla."

A lone tear ran down her cheek as she gently took his gripping hand and held it against her chest. "No matter what I feel John, no matter what we _could _be, I cannot abandon them. I would not be the person I am if I did."

She leaned over to him and brushed her warm face beside his, whispering in his ear, _"I will find you again, John Sheppard."_

And she turned and walked out hurriedly, leaving him standing in the empty room, staring at the closed door.

**John and Teyla Heated Argument #1**

John stood in the doorway pretending to have a conversation with Rodney and Sam but his eyes were fixed elsewhere. He looked at Teyla as she talked and laughed standing closely to Ronon. His heart pounded in his chest and he felt the powerful burn of jealousy in his heart.

Later that evening Teyla came to see him in his quarters. "Good evening, Colonel. I came to see if you were alright. You did not seem to enjoy yourself at the festivities."

"You seemed to have a good enough time for the both of us," he mumbled.

"Excuse me?" she said confused, only catching half of what he said.

"Nothing. Look Teyla, I'm just really tired so if you wouldn't mind…" and he held his hand out towards the door.

"John?" she said quietly approaching him. She placed her hand on his arm and his heart beat faster. "What is it?" She looked into his eyes and he swallowed.

"Look," he started. He couldn't believe he was about to have this conversation. "If you want to have a relationship with someone Teyla, that's your business. Far be it from me to stand in your way, but if you're gonna be with another member of my team, I—"

Teyla interrupted him. "What are you talking about?"

"I saw you with Ronon. I see you everyday with him! The way you two are with each other, it's just….Look, that kind of stuff shouldn't happen on the job, it's not—"

"John, what is going on here? Ronon and I are friends! You know this!" Teyla was getting flustered and her voice was getting higher.

"I just don't want this rubbed in my face anymore, ok?" John said turning away from her.

"Rubbed in your…..There is _nothing_ between him and I, John! And I cannot believe you would even care if it _were_ true!"

John walked right up to her causing her to jump in surprise, his eyes searching her face hard. "Stop it Teyla, stop pretending! Don't you know how I feel? Can't you see it?"

She held her breath in for a moment. "No, John! How should I know how you feel if you do not tell me! All I have _ever_ wanted is for you tell me!"

"You really want to know Teyla? All I do is think about you! You practically haunt me, day and night! I can't get you out of my head and it's killing me! Knowing we can never be together, knowing this can never happen!"

"Why John? Why can this not happen?!" she cried.

"Is that what you would even want Teyla? Are you sure you wouldn't want your precious Ronon?" he yelled sarcastically.

She slapped him hard in the face, tears in her eyes.

He closed his eyes for a moment and then looked at her and grabbed her roughly pulling her close. "This cannot happen," he said through gritted teeth. "I…..I…." He trailed off, his voice breaking.

And then he kissed her hard, overwhelmed with his passion and desire for her. She pulled him tighter and he kissed her even harder.

**John and Teyla Heated Argument #2**

"John, there is something I need to tell you," Teyla approached him slowly. John was sitting on his bed looking up at her.

"You can tell me anything. What's up?" he asked her smiling.

"I am pregnant, Colonel." Teyla said flatly.

John stared at her, the smile slowly fading from his face. "You're what?"

Teyla took a deep breath and repeated. "I am pregnant, John."

John turned not looking at her, his mind was racing and he felt like getting sick. The silence became overbearing as he digested what she had said. He suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable. "Excuse me, I-I can't talk about this right now," and he started to walk past her to his door.

"Colonel, what is wrong? Do you not have anything to say about it?" she implored him, confused.

His eyes met hers and she could see the glare of anger. "No Teyla! I don't have anything to say about it! A member of my team just told me they're having a baby and I have to find a replacement for her!"

"That is it? That is all that is bothering you this much? Finding a replacement for me?"

John's eyes hesitated for a moment and she could see the indecisiveness playing on his face. "No, Teyla, that's not all! But I don't think any of the other reasons would matter to you, I think that's _pretty_ _obvious now_!!"

Teyla searched his face and was confused by the sorrowful look. "John, what are you saying?"

John felt disgusted. How could he have been so stupid to think there could ever be anything more between them, he thought. She was his teammate and that's all she ever would be.

"Forget it, Teyla. I have work to do," and he hurriedly brushed his hand affront the crystals and left the room.

**John and Teyla Heated Argument #3**

Teyla turned swiftly to look at John. "I can't believe you're just going to sit here and do nothing!" John's face twisted in frustration. "Teyla, I'm an officer. I have to do what my superiors tell me, I don't have a choice! If I don't follow orders, they could make me leave Atlantis!"

Teyla glared. "My people are missing! They could be hurt or suffering or worse! If you will not aid me in discovering there whereabouts, I will have to find help elsewhere!" Her heart beat fast in her chest. She could not believe she was getting so mad at Colonel Sheppard this way.

John stood and his breath was quickening. "What does that mean, Teyla?"

Teyla looked into his eyes and could see the pain she was causing him but continued as she thought of her people crying out for her. "Ronon will help me."

John started to say something and then stopped, his lips curling in anger.

"What were you going to say, Colonel?" Teyla huffed, her voice shaking.

"Nothing."

"Please tell me!!"

He reached up and grabbed her arms tightly holding her in front of him. His face was so close to hers and they were both breathing heavily "You think I don't want to help you? You think I don't care??!! You don't have any idea how I feel, Teyla!!!"

"Then tell me John, tell me how you feel!!"

The door opened. Ronon stuck his head in. "Am I interrupting something?"


	2. Chapter 2

_As requested, I've decided to attempt to continue the Wraith Queen story started in Chapter 1._

Please leave a review...

**Chapter 2 - Wraith Queen**

**Wraith Clippet #2**

John sat with his back against the wall in a dark, damp cell, his legs extended and his feet resting in a black, watery puddle. His arms were chained to shackles protruding from the wall behind him and his wrists were raw from heaving on them, as they were a proven bright red. He was filthy, exhausted, and filled with despair.

His eyes were fixed on the decomposing body across the cell whose skeletal remains still wore their shackles like shiny, metal bracelets against their bone. He did not know how long he had been staring, when he heard the steady beat of footsteps approaching from down the long, echoing corridor outside his cell.

The guard outside his cell straightened and John knew it must be her. He turned his head away, remembering her cold, twisted face and surged with fury at his own inability to do anything about it. He heard murmuring outside the steel bars and watched as the guard nodded silently, fumbled for his keys, and opened the cell door that gave an awful metallic groan.

Teyla walked in, head high, eyes blazing. She stood over him as he mustered whatever strength he had to look into her warped face and not be ill. "I have heard you are not cooperating, Colonel," she said in a loud, cold voice.

"Well, I guess I'm just not much of a team player anymore," he said defiantly, his eyes shining.

Her face twisted into what John guessed was supposed to have been a smile, but looked more malicious and evil than anything else. "I think," she said gently as she knelt down towards him, her robe dangling now in the same black puddle at his feet. "I think we have been going about this the wrong way. I think I understand now what would properly motivate you, Colonel Sheppard."

She placed a discolored cold hand over his eyes and he resisted momentarily. He could feel her life force pulsating in the palm of her hand but he could not see her eyes close nor see her mouth moving rapidly, as if chanting silently to herself. John felt strange, like a cloud entered his mind, swirling and invading his every thought.

When she finally pulled her hand away, his eyes blinked rapidly; confused as he stared into the face of the woman he thought he had lost forever.

_"Teyla? Is it really you?" _

Her glowing skin and bright brown eyes swayed softly, basked in a strange golden light. She smiled and turned away furtively, as if looking for something.

"John, please we must hurry!" she said turning back. "We do not have much time! Tell me; tell me what they want to know. How is the machine activated?"

John's eyes were brimming with tears of joy and disbelief as he rushed to his knees, edging closer to her, and searching her beautiful face.. "Oh Teyla, I thought you were dead! They took over your body and…..and….God, I can't believe you're really here. There's so much I wanted to tell you before and….."

"Shhhhh….hush now," she said, her perfect smile wide. She reached out with her tan hand and held his face. "All is well now John. Be afraid no more." She paused turning away again much to his dismay, as he desperately wanted her face near his. "But you must tell me the answer. Quickly! We cannot let them gain access to the Lantian device."

John gulped, still entranced by the golden light and by his own desperate emotions. "I think the key is….._my blood_," he said fixated as her smile deepened wickedly.

She leaned forward and with her soft lips she kissed him, their lips pressing against each other as a tear streaked down John's filthy cheek.

She pulled away suddenly leaving John kneeling there, breathless, confused. She stood quickly and looking down, her features beginning to quiver underneath the golden light. Her brown hair was slowly being replaced by wisps of silver and her teeth seemed to slip out from underneath her lips, forming into jagged fangs.

John gasped in surprise and shook his head violently, the last of the enchantment slipping away as he looked up into the eyes of the horrible, malevolent version of Teyla once again.

"So predictable…..so…..**WEAK**," she said coldly.

John crumpled against the wall, the weight of realization overcoming him, as his heart thudded with the truth he so longed to hide. Teyla was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

_Note: More chapters will be added as a continuation of the Wraith story has been requested - - Please leave a review!_

**Wraith Clippet #3**

It was night and John could just barely make out a glittering of stars through a small crack of rubble at the utmost corner of his blackened cell. It was a small comfort to see something so familiar to him, when all that he had known felt lost and engulfed by the unending darkness.

Deep inside, he struggled with his emotions, knowing soon the time would come when action must be taken and this filled him with a sense of dread he never knew. He lifted his eyes towards the small crevice in the rock and the sprinkling of stars and spoke softly aloud peering through the dark.

"Um...If you can hear me, I'd like to ask you for something. I know we haven't spoken much and I'm probably the last person who should be asking for anything, but….." his voice trailed and broke as he lowered his head momentarily before raising it back up towards the shimmering crack with a renewed determination. "If you could just give me the strength to do what must be done, I'd really appreciate it. I don't care what happens to me, but I know this is what _she_ would want so……._thanks_."

He gulped and nodded to himself, as his conscience trembled with guilt and despair. His heart thudded against his chest and tears swam in his eyes as he recounted all the memories he had taken for granted, all the things he could have said but never did. In this moment, he tried assuaging himself that she had known how he felt about her and that he needn't feel the torment of his burning heart anymore, but even his own convincing lies did nothing to ease his aching soul.

Footsteps approached again, echoing down the long hall and he knew the time had come.

These would be the moments when he could release Teyla from her flesh made prison, from her own worst nightmare; these would be the moments he could finally bring death to the woman he loved.


	4. Chapter 4

_Note: More chapters will be added as a continuation of the Wraith story has been requested - - Please leave a review!_

**Wraith Clippet #4**

The footsteps thudded and John's heart leapt into his throat as he attempted to control his composure. He listened as the muffled voices danced through the night air and whispered words to his perked ears of "blood" and "power". A slight scuffling and then the cell gate was flung open and again he faced the obscene imitation of the one person in his life that had ever really mattered.

"I am afraid the time has come, Colonel, for your suffering to come to an end," she snarled as she motioned for the masked guard to release him. John did not struggle against the massive Wraith as he unlocked his bonds and grabbed him coarsely by his arm. His thoughts on Teyla, he kept his eyes on the floor, unable to raise them to meet hers, though she took no apparent notice.

He allowed the male Wraith to walk him roughly back down the green hallway as the followed behind the appointed Queen and her trailing red robe. John felt ill as if he would be sick at any moment, trying to swallow back his fear and rising bial. They followed her into a different room now, one with darkened walls and a large control board directly at its center.

The Queen motioned her head for the guard to bring John to the panel and John finally raised the courage to look at her mangled face as he was pushed violently away. _That's not Teyla, Teyla's gone_, he told himself over and over attempting to build his courage.

He stood before the control panel and looked down at its bright, glowing lights and listened to it slowly whir to life as if waking from a deep slumber. He didn't notice she had nodded her head to the guard but turned quickly as he saw a flash of moment from the guard's hand.

Too late. The guard had raised a large curved knife and slashed down, pinning John's outstretched hand to the control board as blood splattered across the bright, glowing lights. John cried out in pain and attempted to free his hand as the guard simply held him steady and they both listened to the quickening of noises groaning from deep within the machine.

John's blood was pouring from the wound and it seemed the more blood, the louder the machine became. The faceless guard and he wrestled and struggled, then the guard finally managed to reach his clawed fingers over to the knife protruding from John's pinned down hand. He pulled it out in one yank that made a sort of suction sound that was quickly overcome by John's bloodcurdling scream.

The renewed pain of the knife's removal seemed to surge John with adrenaline. He lunged at the male Wraith, his good hand clamped around his neck and pinned him to the floor, sending the knife clattering to the ground.

In one swoop, he released his neck and picked up the knife from the floor, savagely burying it deep inside the Wraith's chest until his gurglings fell silent and his body lay motionless. John was heaving breaths of fury as he turned carefully, a deadly look on his face, with one hand gripping a bloodied knife, the other hand pouring out his own onto the floor.

The Queen paid them no mind, as her sights were focused entirely on the activation of the machine. She had shrieked in murderous excitement as the blood had reached its destination and the machine took new life. Completely captivated by the progression of her maniacal plan, she did not hear John until he was upon her and held the sharp tip of the knife to the back of her neck, causing her to stiffen immediately and her malicious smile to fade from her curled lips. "Turn around, you **BITCH**," he said hoarsely as spittle flew from his lips.


	5. Chapter 5

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**Wraith Clippet #5**

The Queen turned and John could see her eyes narrowed in anger. She flashed her fanged teeth and snarled a deep, guttural sound as he kept the knife steady, though now at the center of her throat.

John blinked nervously, as sweat dripped down his forehead into his vision and held his wounded hand high, the throbbing of it almost unbearable. She did not move or attempt to fend him off, she just stood there, staring at him silently, as the machine behind her groaned loudly.

John pressed the edge of the blade hard to her skin and felt it penetrate, as he watched a trail of blood leak down her neck and slide quickly over her front._ What if she's still in there, what if I'm hurting her, what if_...His hand started to quiver and he retracted it just the slightest bit when the Queen suddenly erupted into melodious, wild laughter.

"As I said, human, you are _pathetic_! Even now, you cannot find the courage to avenge your dead lover... such a waste of spirit..." she chided him and he felt useless and defeated as her hand rose and swept the knife from his, without giving her so much as a struggle.

He dropped to his knees and let her hold the knife to him now, as his mangled hand laid dripping beside him. He could not bring himself to kill her; his love ran deeper than even he had guessed. And his chin trembled though held high, while she gently dragged the bloodied edge across his face.

"Do you have any last words before I gut you, human?" she snarled tossing her silvery hair over her shoulder.

John knelt looking up into the distorted face and with his mind's eye, concentrated on just the parts that reminded him of how beautiful she was. Tears filled his eyes and he looked lovingly at her for a moment before speaking.

"I can't kill you Teyla, I could never hurt you...And no matter what you do to me, I'll always be with you..._"_ and he closed his eyes before she could strike the final blow.

But nothing happened. John quickly opened his eyes and saw a look of horror on the Queen's face. She looked as though she would be sick on him as she twisted and moaned, making horrible squeals of agony. John was fixed, staring in confusion as she writhed violently and when she silenced, her eyes were not blackened but a deep warm brown and filled with a desperate look John knew only too well.

"John?" her voice was shaky. "Help me_...please_!"

John drew a sharp breath and quickly clamored to his feet. "_Teyla_?"

Her eyes filled with tears and she spoke quickly, never taking her gaze from his hopeful face. "I cannot hold her much longer..._I will not let her take you..." _she said gasping with anguish. And to John's utter horror, she raised the knife wielding it high in the air before plunging it deep into her own belly with a final gasp of pain.

John rushed over and caught her falling body as it slumped to the floor, screaming her name, trying desperatley to staunch the bloody wound as her body convulsed and her eyes rolled back, flickering between blackness and soft, gentle brown.

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Once John had made radio contact with the Daedelus and they had been located, he was beamed aboard carrying her silent body, both drenched in each others blood. The physician on board performed surgery and could not explain the rapid healing or the strange blood cells gathered from the edges of her wound. John sat silently day and night by her bed, waiting for her to waken.

And she did wake and all was well, but John would always wonder if the Queen would ever reemerge and if she did, he knew, her wrath would be of the likes none had ever seen.


	6. Chapter 6

_By Camy's request, an epilogue!!_

_Please leave a review!_

**Wraith Clippet #6 - EPILOGUE**

John waited patiently for Teyla to answer her door with his hands jammed into his pockets as he rocked back and forth on his heels unconsciously. He began to smile when the door slid open but it faded instantly when he noticed the expression on her face.

"What is it?" he asked immediately, a worried look furrowed in his brow.

Teyla looked exhausted, her eyes were puffy and her normally shining, bright face was sullen and darkened. She said nothing as she let him in her quarters and hurried back over to her bed without ever meeting his gaze.

He stood there waiting for her to answer him and still she did not speak but hurriedly began to place items into a large leathered traveling bag lying open on her bed.

"Um, hello? What are you doing?" he asked incredulously as he quickly approached her, placing a hand on her slender arm and causing her to stop and face him.

"I am leaving John, can you not see that?" she said rather harshly, still not meeting his questioning gaze and ripping her arm from his grip.

"Leaving? What do you mean leaving?" he asked intensely as he watched her continue to stuff clothes and linens into her bag, pressing them down forcefully.

"I cannot remain here any longer. I am a danger to Atlantis and to the team and to…..and to everyone," she said clearing her throat as she placed her bantos sticks in the bag with John watching in disbelief.

"What's all this about Teyla? Dr. Keller gave you a clean bill of health, Colonel Carter has cleared you to rejoin the team, I don't see what's the problem! Everything is just getting back to normal now……WOULD YOU STOP PACKING,…….please!" he finally yelled exasperated as she stopped and closed her eyes.

She turned quickly, startling him, and made her way to him pointing an accusatory finger towards him. Her eyes finally meeting his, he could see them brimming with tears and her sallow face twisted with emotion. "You of all people should understand, John! You saw how that…that…._beast_…twisted me, made me a monster! I was there, inside her, watching, watching _everything_……feeling her malice, her hate……and I could do nothing, _NOTHING_……except bear witness to her sin….. _my_ sin….. what I almost did to you……..I could feel her hate welling inside, I can still feel it………" She choked on anguished sobs and wobbled as he caught her in his arms. She was heavy and sagging, her knees losing their strength as he held her up and stared down into her beautiful and tormented face.

He placed a strong arm behind her back and pulled her to him, his face inches from hers, wiping away the scattered tears from her face, searching her eyes with his in the hopes that she would take full meaning of what he was about to say. "Now you listen to me, Teyla. I have never in my entire life been so afraid as when I thought I'd lost you forever, watching that thing warp everything in my world that was good into darkness and death. But you were stronger than that, stronger than _her_, and you took control and you didn't let it defeat you…..defeat _me_…..your strength saved my life……that thing is gone, _you're_ here…..you're the strongest, bravest, truest soul I have ever known Teyla Emmagan…….I won't ever lose you again……" he whispered his last few words and lowered his face to hers, gently resting his forehead on hers as they stayed silently, eyes closed.

She felt warm and safe in his arms and her fears seem to melt as he lifted his chin and pressed his lips against hers softly, tasting the salt of her tears against her skin.


	7. Chapter 7

_Please leave a review!_

**Family**

****

Teyla's eyes felt exceedingly heavy as she attempted with great effort to open them. She felt groggy and disoriented and her mouth tasted strangely, like some sort of metal, as she tried to swallow.

The blurred brightness before her took time to adjust and she blinked furiously at the harshness of the fluorescent lights above her. She could hear voices but they sounded distant and muffled, as if underwater.

"Hello?" she tried to speak but her voice was hoarse and dry.

As her foggy vision lessened, she attempted to move and found herself bound to something, a bed or a stretcher she thought, with straps restraining her hands and feet.

She could barely make out white figures shuffling about in a corner of the bright, white room as she looked wildly around for an explanation.

She forced her voice to clarity as she yelled, "Hello? Please help me!" while she heaved on her restraints futilely.

A man dressed in a white lab coat quickly hustled over and immediately pulled up Teyla's shirt so that her smooth, flat belly was exposed and placed a cold hand upon it.

It was Carson.

He paid her no mind and the smile Teyla had missed for so long appeared on his face as he turned to look over his shoulder and called out," It's time!"

Other people in white lab coats hurried over, their faces half covered in surgical masks and placed their cold hands on Teyla's uncovered belly.

Teyla felt confused and angry, no one was even looking at her. She looked pleadingly at her old friend. "Carson? What is happening? Why am I bound this way?"

"Easy lass," he said in his comforting voice as a half masked nurse placed gloves on his hands that made a smacking noise as they fitted into place. "We're all getting ready for the delivery."

"Delivery?" Teyla repeated, as she became increasingly agitated. "What delivery? Carson, untie me, please!"

A nurse had wheeled over a small mobile table full of clanking instruments that rattled as she came to a stop by the doctor. Carson reached down and fiddled with the different items as he responded. "Teyla, the restraints are for our protection, of course. Now," he said as he pulled an enormous syringe from the table and squirted a clear liquid from its end. "Tell, me when it hurts."

He jabbed the needle deep into her belly and Teyla screamed in terror. For a few seconds she thought she might pass out from the pain before Carson retracted it harshly and gently patted her belly with his hand. "See now that wasn't so bad."

Teyla felt weary again and extremely sore where the needle had been. Before she could ask Carson what he had just done to her, she heard a strange clattering sound not too far from her head. She turned, trying hard to concentrate and her eyes opened wide as she saw a large cage filled with a bug she recognized instantly.

More than thirty Iratus bugs were swarming in a small, steel cage, shrieking loudly and spewing white foam that was dripping through the bars. Their beady eyes seemed to all find her and she turned back to Carson, hardly able to breathe in fear.

"Carson, please, PLEASE release me! I do not understand what is happening!"

Carson ignored her and mumbled with the others as he pulled an identical white surgical mask on, shrouding his nose and mouth and with a muffled voice said, "Here we go."

Teyla's eyes bulged and her scream echoed as she looked down and saw a shape start to shift under the skin of her toned, muscular stomach. It moved eerily from side to side and soon seemed to take the form of a hand pressing hard, its fingers outlined from under her flesh.

Teyla fell backward, her head slamming hard onto the thin pillow they had provided her. Turning her head, she vomited onto the floor, the pain unbearable.

She heard a strange noise and a slap and then, a shrilly cry of a newborn child. She quickly turned back, wiping her mouth on her shoulder and stared disbelievingly at Carson and the naked baby he held high in his hands.

"What….what…" Words could not form the thoughts clustered in her mind.

One of the nurses pulled Carson's mask down around his neck and Teyla saw he was smiling again as he stared at the child. His gaze turned to her and he said, "It's a boy, my dear. The father will be so pleased!"

Teyla shook her head violently, surpassing the urge to be sick again. "The father?"

A dark cloaked figure appeared suddenly in the corner of the room from behind the cage of shrieking bugs and glided gracefully towards the child, his face masked under the dark hood.

Slender, sallow hands emerged from under the dark robes and accepted the crying baby holding it close to its breast and rocking gently, as Carson and the nurses looked on approvingly.

"Who…..?" Teyla was barely able to gasp out as she stared in horror.

One hand on the child, the other reached up and pulled back its hood to reveal a face that made Teyla's heart shrivel in revulsion.

Michael.

"No….no," Teyla started to sob, pulling against her bonds.

The child resting comfortably swathed in the black robes was cooing and fidgeting as Michael looked from his tiny face and back towards Teyla. "We're a family now…." Michael voice rang deep in her ears.

Teyla closed her eyes and screamed as loud as her lungs would allow her. Her heart felt as though it would explode in pure terror when she could suddenly hear another familiar voice calling her name over and over.

John.

Teyla opened her eyes and found herself back in her warm bed now drenched in sweat with John Sheppard holding her arms tightly as he loudly called her name.

"Teyla! Wake up!" She sat up quickly and looked around at her quarters. Her body instantly collapsing in relief as John held her.

"Oh, John," she said anxiously and buried her head into his shoulder as he held her, confused and concerned.

"What the hell is going on Teyla? You were screaming so loud, the people in your hall called security! Was it only a bad dream?"

She did not reply, she only clung to his warmth and stared with hard eyes into the void of her dream and prayed for the images to burn away.


	8. Chapter 8

_Please leave a review!_

_For Camy's Fury Challenge_

**Fury**

John attacked with both hands flying through the air; the bantos sticks moving so quickly they were a blurred vision. Ronon responded only slightly lagging, his own sticks meeting John's in a defensive clatter.

Sweat was pouring down John's face and his eyes were stormy as he continued, relentless, until Ronon misjudged a slight of step and John landed a hard blow to his exposed abdomen.

Ronon gasped faintly and quickly clutched at his side. As he struggled to maintain his balance and catch his breath, John swept a long leg under Ronon, knocking the large Satedan down hard to the floor.

Ronon lay heaving for a moment, his hand still gripping his side. With a frustrated and self-loathing grunt he finally sat up breathing heavily, but with a knowing look upon his face. "I guess this means you heard about Teyla."

John flipped the sticks expertly in his hands and without meeting Ronon's eyes he positioned himself for another match. "Yeah I heard. C'mon get up, let's go again."

Ronon stood and said nothing, his eyes concentrating hard at the twirling sticks before John attacked again, his face contorting to reveal a dark look that Ronon had never seen before.

John was surging with emotion and as skillful as he was, his anger allowed him to carelessly leave an open shot available and Ronon seized the opportunity with full force, throwing John back a few feet as he flipped backwards to the floor.

Ronon walked over to quickly lend a hand, but John was already rising and slammed his fist clenching the bantos stick down, punching the floor in utter rage. "GOD DAMN IT!" he screamed as the skin on his knuckles split.

Ronon stared at him blankly, watching him rise and turn to fight again. John's face was so twisted in fury, Ronon barely recognized him. "That's it, Sheppard, we're done for the day." He placed his sticks down on the windowsill and began to grab his gear.

"Where do you think you're going? Get your ass back here," John snarled still positioned for a match.

Ronon zipped his bag shut and heaved it over his large shoulder, turning back to his friend. "Look, I'm not gonna stand here and be your whipping boy all day. I know what's going on and I'd feel the same way if I were you, but there's nothing I can do for you. You need to figure this out on your own." He turned and walked out the door, letting it close behind him.

John stared at the closed door, his body trembling in emotion. He could not remember ever feeling so explosive, so primal. He turned and whipped his sticks violently against the wall, grunting in frustration as he thought of Teyla being pregnant by another man. 


	9. Chapter 9

_Please leave a review!_

_For Camy's Fury Challenge - which has also been requested for more chapters_

**Fury #2**

****

John ran hard through the steely, dark overpass that he and Ronon frequented, sweat glistening on his forehead and his black t-shirt was stuck damp to his chest and back. While it was always deserted, the two men usually came here for exercise or some friendly competition, but this day John was here for a different reason.

His heart thumped loudly in his chest and his face was red and blotchy as he ran full speed down the long, shadowed corridor. He had thought perhaps, if he came to run, if he ran hard enough, that maybe, just maybe, his mind would rest, even for a moment, from the constant torment of thinking of her.

After running for over an hour, he knew this was not the answer. His thoughts were still completely focused on her and he still felt the sickening feeling deep in his stomach as if something dead inside was trying to claw its way out. He ran off the end of the walkway and continued running, careening through the halls of Atlantis towards his quarters, ignoring the friendly staff who greeted him as he passed hurriedly by.

He brushed his palm affront his entrance crystals and entered his room sullenly, removing his damp shirt over his head and tossing it carelessly onto the floor. He turned into the bathroom and grabbed the knob for the shower, yanking it sideways as jets of hot water streamed out onto the shower floor.

He padded slowly over to his sink and rested his shaking hands on either side, looking through the slowly fogging mirror into his miserable heavy eyes.

He let the refreshing steam wash over him as it flooded the room stealthily and he closed his eyes, trying to think of anything but her. But he simply couldn't. And soon the image of her with another man, the image he had suffered all day long, of her and some unknown lover wrapped in each others arms pierced through his attempted serenity and poured a foul darkness into his heart like thick molten lava.

His knuckles turned white as he gripped the sink with a growing ferocity and the images in his mind of the happy couple grew and twisted, making even John feel nervous of his own monstrous reaction.

Suppressing his urge to slam his fist into the mirror, he removed the rest of his clothing and stepped into the scalding shower, letting the waves of heat run over him like an angry ocean.

He stood there silent and his anger began to melt into something else.

Confusion.

_Why do I even care? She's a member of my team, my good friend…….We've never been together, not like that anyways…..she has no bond to me………….so why does it feel like the end of the world??_


	10. Chapter 10

_Please leave a review!_

_For Camy's Fury Challenge - which has also been requested for more chapters_

**Fury #3**

After a long sleepless night of staring endlessly at a dark stain on his normally pristine ceiling, John felt extremely weary and cranky as he suited up and met with Colonel Carter to discuss the mission for the day.

Zipping his vest up and adjusting the straps of his weapon, he listened to Samantha talk about the uncharted planet they had found in the database that she was sending him and his team to.

"It's only you, Ronon, and McKay today, Colonel. Teyla wasn't feeling well this morning." she said straightening some papers on her desk without looking up. John's first reaction was concern but it quickly melded into selfish relief, for he had not seen her since she had given the news of her pregnancy with a strange look plastered on her face with Colonel Carter and Dr. Keller standing by her side as he, Ronon, and Rodney had looked on in disbelief.

"Fine, tell them I'll meet them in the gate room," he said as he began for the door. "Colonel?" came Samantha's voice. He turned back, an eyebrow raised questioningly. She narrowed her eyes a bit before asking gingerly," Is everything allright?"

"Yup," he answered a little taken back. "Am I dismissed?"

She hesitated and then nodded and he quickly escaped into the crowded hallway and headed down to the gate room.

A few minutes later, Rodney and Ronon had joined him, both of them asking where Teyla was. With a great strain and a forced look, John explained she did not feel well and neither asked any questions, although Ronon gave John an unreadable glance.

The wormhole activated and they crossed the barrier and onto planet M39-6V. Dead valleys are far as the eye could see, with shriveled grass and barren fields and one lonely, withering tree whose branches hung sadly, barely stirring in the morning breeze.

One small settling amidst the desolation sat eerily under the gray sky. Fifty or so buildings and houses cluttered a small clearing and as they approached they saw no signs of townsfolk although the life signs detector was reading more than a hundred accounted for.

"It's like a freaking ghost town, " remarked Rodney, looking at the peeling paint and broken shutters on the largest of the buildings.

"Well they're definitely not ghosts," said Ronon motioning towards the life signs on the screen in Rodney's hand.

John approached the closed entrance to the building Rodney was scanning and and took a deep breath. "Guess we'll just have to knock and find out," he said before he rapped loudly on the door.

Nothing happened for several seconds and John knocked again, this time more forcefully. An echoed scuffling sound came from behind the door before they heard the rusted hinges start to creak as it swung outward towards them. A large man stood before them wearing simple clothes and a worn tattered hat. He had a dark shaggy beard and pale transparent skin but his eyes were lively and shiny which was in total contrast to everything else about him.

John immediately noticed the man was holding a large mallet of some sort, barely concealing it behind his back. The man looked at the three of them, his eyes lingering for awhile on Ronon's massive form before he spoke. "Leave this place. Now."

John gave a half smile and looked at the man who was obviously primitive in nature although strangely unintimidated by their presence. "Don't be afraid. We're explorers and were looking for--"

The man interrupted as the gripped mallet in his hands was edging around his large thigh towards them." I said...leave."

John looked in the man's face and something about it was starting to make John's adrenaline pump, almost as if he knew a fight was coming. Normally, this would be the moment when John would usher the others away, apologizing for intruding on their lands and lead them back to the Stargate.

But not today.

The man had barely raised his arm towards him before John had raised the butt of his weapon and slammed it into the man's nose which immediately bled as he flailed backwards onto the sandy earth.

Ronon and Rodney stared in total disbelief as they watched the man rise, spitting the trailing blood from his lips as he charged at the Colonel hitting him head first in his gut. The two wrestled and John unleashed his aggression, landing blow after blow to the man's face and body. With each hit, Ronon and Rodney felt surreal, as if the man before them was not the man they knew, but a stranger, an animal, someone dark and angry.

Two men dressed the same as the first began to walk out of the same creaking door with mallets in their hands but Ronon raised his guns to them and shook his head slowly, letting them know it was a bad idea.

John had gained advantage, resting atop the man now covered in blood and sand, and pounded fist after fist into his face, choking on sobs as the fury inside him welled up, driving him to go on with the burning images of Teyla and her lover laughing and cuddling etched in his brain.

As he continued to release his wrath, he heard Rodney exclaim, "Colonel, what the hell are you doing?!" and suddenly felt Ronon's strong arms grab him from behind as he pulled him off the now motionless man, speaking gruffly but softly in his ear. "Enough, Sheppard! Enough!"


	11. Chapter 11

_Please leave a review!_

_For Camy's Fury Challenge - which has also been requested for more chapters_

**Fury #4**

As Ronon held John from behind tightly by his arms, John heaved and flailed trying to escape his unlockable grip. "Get the hell off of me, Ronon!" he yelled, his bruising face still wildly searching the motionless body half buried in the sand.

Ronon shoved John away hard in the opposite direction of the bloodied man and stood between them. "Sheppard, you don't want to do this. Look at him! He's down! We need to get the hell out of here...now," Ronon said pointedly as he gestured to the many opening doors in the village where groups of men were emerging all with mallets resting in their hands.

John made an ugly face and his chest heaved as he stared angrily at the approaching villagers while Rodney began slowly walking backwards making his way back to the path in which they had come, his wide eyes on the slowly incoming men, . "Colonel, I don't know why you're acting like a total steroid lunatic, but unless you want to get strung up by a ghost town lynch mob, we better go!"

Ronon looked at John uncomfortably and said, "Well?" He did not want to force his friend into submission and wasn't even sure he could while John was full of this much rage. John sniffed the air and cracked his neck before giving Ronon a desperate look and turned to follow Rodney who was already quite a ways ahead.

Ronon sighed with relief and followed as well, turning every few minutes with his guns held high to ensure the villagers would let them leave.

Just as Rodney passed through the gate, Ronon grabbed John by the shoulder and John turned. Ronon stared at his heavy face and forlorn eyes and sympathized. "Why don't you just talk to her Sheppard?"

John looked away from him and up towards the empty gray sky. "There's nothing to say Ronon. I was a fool to think their was." And he let Ronon's hand slip from his shoulder and he passed through the gate.


	12. Chapter 12

_Please leave a review!_

_For Camy's Fury Challenge - which has also been requested for more chapters_

**Fury #5**

Once Ronon had stepped through the wormhole he watched as Colonel Carter looked down from the top of the staircase and began to descend towards them, asking for a mission report. Rodney began to stutter an incomprehensible story while John awkwardly fiddled with his vest pocket.

Ronon heard familiar distant laughter and his eyes caught at the top of one of the overpasses to see Teyla standing there. She was standing with one of the many marines of Atlantis and she was talking avidly and smiling widely. Ronon quickly turned to distract John from looking towards the general area, but it was too late.

Ronon could see the transformation of John face as his gaze caught them, an intense burn glowing in his eyes. John's thoughts screamed in his mind, '_Is that him? Is that the guy?'_ Ronon wanted to get John out of there but before he could say anything Colonel Carter spoke first. "Colonel Sheppard, since McKay is obviously incapable of giving me a straight answer, could you please fill me in on what happened on M39-6V? Colonel Sheppard? John, what's wrong?" she finally said noticing his expression.

John wasn't even listening. His heart pounding in his throat, he marched past Samantha who stared at him open mouthed and straight up the stairs, directly towards his quarters. He did this out of fear, fear for the man who stood beside her because he wanted nothing more than to bash his face in, even if they were just talking innocently.

He entered his room and collapsed on his bed, slamming his open palm to his forehead in frustration. "Stupid, John! Stupid!" he scolded himself aloud. He sat there thinking for what felt like hours, but had actually been minutes and came to the only conclusion he knew was right.

He straightened up and looked in the mirror, frowning at his reflection, before leaving his room and heading towards Colonel Carter's office.

He knocked gently on the door and heard her say, "Enter."

He opened the door and saw her look up almost smiling, as if expecting him.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to track you down Colonel. Neither of your team members seem to remember what happened on that planet in the last hour and I'm still waiting for a report," she said with a kind look in her eye.

"Yeah, well, I do apologize for my behavior at the gate. That was entirely unprofessional of me. This is actually what I came here to talk about, Colonel. I'd like to be temporarily relieved of duty," he said not meeting her gaze.

She said nothing for a moment and looked down at her hands before answering. "May I ask why, John?"

John cleared his throat. "Personal reasons I'd rather not get into, but I feel my judgment has been compromised and the safety of the team comes first, so..."

Colonel Carter had a knowing look on her face although since John was not looking at her, he did not catch it. "I know we don't know each other very well yet Colonel, but I've been around long enough and experienced enough in my time to pick up on certain...reactions."

John finally met her eyes, confused. "I don't get what your saying Colonel."

"I noticed your reaction to Teyla's news, John."

His face darkened to a deep purple at the mere mention of her name, let alone Samantha's acknowledgement of his situation. His heart started pounding again in anxiousness.

"If you could just let me know when the Daedelus is expected to return to Earth next, I'd appreciate it. Now if you'll excuse me..." He started to rise when she cut him off.

"John?" He didn't turn but he did stop moving.

"I know its none of my business, but a word of advice. Things aren't always what they seem."

He didn't respond and continued towards the door, letting himself out.


	13. Chapter 13

_Please leave a review!_

_For Camy's Fury Challenge _

**Fury Finale**

John sat on his bed in his darkened room with his hands folded neatly in his lap and his eyes on the blank white walls. It was night and only one small lamp cast a warm glow lighting up the space around him. He had packed his clothes and all his belongings, neatly rolling up his Johnny Cash poster and tucking away his football tapes.

All that was left now was to actually leave. He stared at the empty room and felt out of place. This place he had come to know as home, suddenly felt strange and foreign, and even good friends and adventurous exploring held little, if any, excitement for him.

His heart was excruciatingly heavy and it felt heavier with each item he packed, each memory remembered. He knew in the farthest reaches of his mind, he would never return to Atlantis, the pain would be too unbearable. He felt alone and hurt and the one person he would even consider telling his feelings to, was the same person who had just shattered his entire world.

He would leave in the morning and had decided not to say goodbye, _'I wouldn't even know what to say'_, he thought. The Daedelus was ready and so was he. Ready to forget he ever came to Atlantis, ready to forget he ever loved too late, ready to forget her beautiful face...

A knock came at the door and for a moment, John thought of letting them pass without answering but begrudgingly he rose and the door slid open to reveal the very last person he wanted to see.

_Teyla_.

John stared at Teyla's face which was as beautiful as ever, her brown eyes staring up at him meaningfully. "John, may we speak?" she asked and let herself into his quarters without him saying a word.

John continued to stare out into the empty hallway as Teyla stood alone in his bedroom behind him. He was petrified of her being here. He didn't want to be angry with her, he didn't want her to see how hurt he was, how broken she had made him. And saying goodbye to her forever was just something he knew he could never willingly do. He plastered on an attempted smile and closed the door, turning to face her. When he saw the expression on her face the forced smile dropped and instinctively he approached her as a single tear slid down her cheek.

He began to reach out to touch her arm comfortingly, but retracted it suddenly when he neared her skin, as if he were scalded by an unseen flame. "What's wrong?" he asked nervously wiping his extended hand on his pants as he looked around the room, trying to come up with a reason to excuse himself.

She wiped her tear away and looked deeply at John's constantly shifting eyes before she spoke. "John, I am sorry, but I had to speak with you right away."

John stared hard at his feet, silently begging her not to go on. He did not want to hear about her love affairs, or relationship problems, he didn't think he had enough strength left in him to go on pretending he was only her friend.

"Please do not leave Atlantis, Colonel," she said softly with her face pointed downwards.

John raised his head, unsure if he had heard her correctly. "What?"

"I am frightened," she said quietly, her chin quivering. "Frightened you are going to leave when I need you the most."

John looked at her in total disbelief. "What are you talking about Teyla? What could you _possibly_ need from me?" His voice came out harsher than he had intended and he instantly saw a reaction of surprise and then hurt appear on her face.

"I need you to listen. Listen to something I should have told you earlier," she began to wring her hands awkwardly and looked to be thoughtful, as if choosing her words wisely. "There were days, days when I was searching for my people...days that are missing from me," she said carefully.

"Missing?" John looked at her confused and she went on.

"A few weeks ago when Dr. Keller and I were attacked in the woods on that terrible planet and those...those creatures took us, we were their prisoners until I negotiated her release. I was there alone with them for quite some time before your team reached me, Colonel," she said looking at John, hoping he could see the meaning behind her eyes.

He did.

"What are you saying Teyla? Did they..." his face deeply reddened and his hands began to tremble." Did they hurt you?" he added with his own hidden meaning.

Teyla looked away overcome with emotion and then shrugged her shoulders wildly as she answered in a high voice," I do not know, John! I remember very little and when I came back to Atlantis, I was...I was..." She could no longer speak and sobs choked at her throat. She walked forward slowly and embraced him and he hesitantly placed a trembling, gentle hand around her, holding her close.

John felt a great conflict inside as his heart filled with sweet relief that all his fury, all his rage, his reasons for leaving Atlantis were all in vain. She had not loved another. And yet his heart filled with a murderous darkness that he knew would soak through him, unrelenting, until every last one of those beasts were slaughtered in her name.


	14. Chapter 14

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_This was written for the spoiler of John going back to Earth and for the appearance of his exwife._

**Remembrance**

John stood slightly hunched, as a cool breeze swept across him, giving him a chill on the back of his neck. His eyes were fixed on the large flag before him that was colored red, white, blue and had a sprinkling of stars decorating it. The flag lay strewn neatly across a large, dark, wooden coffin and its corners flapped sadly in the cool breeze.

The minister had been the last of the group to leave John standing there, transfixed as he stared warily at his fathers coffin, lost in thoughts of grief and memory. He had suffered through all the hugs and handshakes from old friends and relatives he hardly knew, all the while giving his best attempt at seeming normal, although he had felt anything but.

He could hear leaves crunching on the cold ground behind him as someone approached slowly. He didn't turn in the hopes that they would just leave him alone and notice his desire for solitude. Then it was silent and he was sure they had left when he heard an all-familiar voice.

"I always thought you looked good in your uniform."

John turned slowly, his heavy eyes resting on the face of his ex wife, Denise. She looked as he remembered but something about her face made her seem older, more tired. He said nothing as she approached him and took his hands in hers. Her face was somber and her eyes watery as she spoke gently. "I'm sorry, John."

John turned his face away and stared back towards the flag, covering the place where his father lay resting. She released his hands and stood beside him, and they stared together silently.

Minutes passed and finally John spoke, his voice cracking slightly from lack of use. "Thanks for coming, Denise. He would have liked that."

Denise gave slight smile and said, "Well he did always have a soft spot for me, didn't he?" John attempted what should have been a smile in return but looked more like a confused frown instead.

Denise faced him and said gently as she put a comforting hand on his arm. "John, I remember what happened between you two and I just thought you should know, after you left we spoke, your father and I. And he understood, he understood everything. He told me he was just being a selfish old man and hoped when you returned from the service you would forgive him for what happened."

John's face contorted and he struggled to keep his edging tears hidden behind his eyes. "But the things I said..…..I never got to tell him……" his whispering voice trailed, his eyes still glued to the coffin.

"He knew, John," she said smoothly. "He always knew."

John shrugged her hand away and turned his face, eyes closed, swathing in the warm golden light of the afternoon's setting sun.

Denise's voice came from behind him. "Speaking as someone with experience, I know how it is to be desperately waiting for you to reveal your feelings, John. But your father knew, without you having to say a word." She paused and again placed her hand on him from behind, this time on his stiff shoulder. "But you should remember that life is short John, and if there is anyone out there in this world that you do care for, you should tell them, before you're standing over another grave, wishing you had opened up and shown them your heart."

She released him with a final comforting pat of her hand and he stayed bathing in the light, taking in what she had said. She had always been wiser beyond her years and now, more than ever he was grateful for a kind word. He turned to thank her again but she was gone. And the graveyard was empty again, the crunching leaves trailing the hard ground from the cold breeze.

Staring at his fathers grave for what he knew would be the final moments, he said "I love you, Dad," and placed his frigid hand on the casket, eyes closed.

When he stood and headed out of the graveyard, Denise's words echoed in his head, and he knew where he had to be, who he had to speak to this very moment. He would be damned if he was going to let another person pass by, while he kept his feelings hidden. And with a determined brow, he set off to find Teyla.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chance** (For Camy's 20 word challenge)

The sun was setting and a cluster of dark clouds had rolled upon Atlantis. The sky was gray and eerie, casting a dark shadow upon Colonel Sheppard's face. He stood alone on one of the balconies looking out at the vengeful ocean, whose whitecaps crashed hard against Atlantis' shield.

His hands gripped at the railing as he stood there, lost in thought, his brow furrowed, going over and over the days strange sequence of events.

The door behind him made a click and he looked to see who would join him. It was Davos. He approached John with a wide smile across his pleasant face, his dark skin crinkling gently around his eyes and mouth. He nodded to John in greeting and stood beside him, also placing his hands on the rail and gripping it tightly as he looked out into the angry ocean.

John cleared his throat. "How did it go?" he asked the elder man curiously.

Davos turned slowly, his eyes lingering momentarily on the waters before facing the Colonel who was watching him with a tight smile on his face.

"It went as could be expected. Teyla is set upon her path now. She has all the information I can give her," he replied evenly.

John nodded as if he understood and looked back out to the water.

"You do not have faith in the power of sight, do you Colonel?"

John turned, slightly embarrassed. "What? No! It's not that Davos. Its just….well, where I come from, lots of people claim to be able to see things like you can, when it's really just a scam."

"Scam?" Davos was smiling again.

"Yeah, you know, _scam_, a trick," John said cringing as he watched the old man laugh.

Davos shook his head and said after a moment, "I feel sorry for the people on your world Colonel. It seems much of their lives is led by deception."

John couldn't disagree and said nothing but smile nervously at him and turn back towards the ocean.

The two men stood in silence for a while, the sounds of the waves crashing filling their minds.

"I would like to show you something Colonel, but it would require a great deal of trust on your part," Davos said mysteriously still looking out at the horizon.

John turned to face him. "What is it?"

Davos turned meeting his gaze. "Something I think you need to see."

John wracked his brain as he looked around for some sort of excuse and came up with nothing. The old man watched him, amused by his discomfort and waited patiently for an answer.

"Ok…." John said tentatively.

"I will need your hand Colonel," the old man said extending his own, his long fingernails curled elegantly outwards. John stared for a moment and took a deep breath before taking the man's extended hand.

He watched amazed, as Davos eyes seemed to frost over with a pure white film, concealing the dark eyes that had been there prior. He began chanting quietly, repeating words that John did not know.

Suddenly John felt something course through his body, a feeling of electric shock and he felt pain and closed his eyes, his hand still clasped together with the old mans'.

Blurred visions passed by quickly and horrible screams and shouts pierced his ears. He could make out Teyla's voice crying out in terrible pain, he saw many Wraith walking around the SGC stepping over the dead bodies of countless marines, a bloody coffin lay alone on the control room floor, many images soaring past him in a blinding flurry. Then a different surge of emotion passed. Teyla and he were embraced, there faces close, their eyes locked and then darkness and out of the darkness shone two bright eyes, the eyes of an unknown enemy sending the most powerful shock waves through him, finally causing the men to release hands and stumble back.

"What the hell was THAT?" John cried wildly gripping at his hand staring at the old man in disbelief.

"It is all you will need to chance altering the coming darkness, Colonel. Use it wisely." Davos gave him a half bow and a small smile and left through the door he had already come through leaving John standing there with a horrified look on his face and a sickening feeling in his gut.


	16. Chapter 16

_Based on a younger Shep flashback - Please leave a review_

**Letting Go**

The small house was barely lit, a lone lamp lighting the dusty living room and the sounds of automated laughter from a television laugh track filled the air. In the kitchen the sink was filled with dirty dishes and a small radio belted out the forgotten tunes of Johnny Cash. The house might once have been beautiful but years of neglect and the lack of a woman's touch had taken its cruel toll.

John stood silently in the screened doorway taking in the familiar sights of home.He sighed a great heaving breath before wiping his feet on the shaggy worn carpet and heading towards the living room.

Jonathan Sheppard sat there in his favorite chair, the one that was so warped from years of use, the one that cried out in desperation to be rightfully disposed of. The beer in his hand was almost empty but still let off small wisps of frost from its recent release from the stocked cooler beside him as his booming voice laughed loudly along with the unseen voices from the television.

"Dad?"

Jonathan Sheppard turned his head briefly, an annoyed look on his face. He said nothing and turned back towards the television, after taking a deep swig of his brew.

"_Dad_?" John voice was a louder harsher this time and his father looked at him murderously.

"Dammit boy, what is it? My show's on, can't you see..."

"Dad, we need to talk."

"Whatever it is, it can wait till the show's over son."

"No Dad, it can't." John marched over and switched off the television as his father angrily stood from his chair causing it to creak slightly from the relief of weight.

"What are you-"

"I'm leaving Dad. I've joined the Air Force," John said as he held out an opened letter towards his father.

The older man stared down at the paper in his son's hand, a glow of outrage emitting from his green eyes.

"You selfish son of a bitch," he spoke slowly. "That was the plan all along wasn't it boy? Up and leave your God given family like the ungrateful bastard you are. The Air Force must have really lowered their standards to accept a rebellious punk like you boy," Jonathan Sheppards hands shook terribly by his side, the beer bottle knackering back and forth.

Footsteps approached as the two men glared at each other in the living room and soon John's younger brother Graham stood in the doorway.

"What's going on?" he asked, carefully eyeing the two men's expressions.

"Get in here son, so you can hear what an ass your brother is making of himself."

"I'm leaving Dad, and theres nothing you can do to stop me. There's alot of good I can do and I'm not gonna sit here and let you control me anymore," John's chin jut out defiantly towards the elder version of himself.

"_Control_ you? You are the most wreckless, the most irresponsible, the most _undicisplined_ man I have ever known! You wanna go out there and save the world? You couldn't even save your own marraige!"

John fumed his voice growing louder with each word as his younger brother looked on in disbelief. "Don't you bring that into this! That marriage was what _you_ wanted! You and Ma pushed that and you know it!"

His father advanced towards him, letting the almost empty beer bottle drop to the floor, letting its remaining contents spill onto the green already stained carpet. "Don't you blame your poor mother, God rest her soul...If she knew you were fixing to leave me and Graham here to fend for ourselves, she'd roll over in her damn grave! Graham aint but sixteen and my knees are shot something fierce. You can't go boy, and that's my final word."

And with that, he sat back into his chair with a loud creak as his elder son watched disbelievingly.

"You are a sad, pathetic old man Dad! Ever since Mom died, all you want to do is cause pain and stir up trouble for everybody else! Maybe you're right, maybe I am all those things you said, but I wanna be something more! And I know there's gotta be more in this world than the shabby walls of this living room and I'm gonna go out there and find it!" He turned and started for the door before looking down at the sad eyes of his younger brother who looked back and forth between his father and brother.

"John?" he said pleadingly.

"I'm sorry Graham. I can't stay here...I wish you could come with me..._Take care little brother_..." John's voice caught and he started again towards the screened door.

"If you walk out this house son, don't you even THINK about coming back!" His father had once again rose and was staring threateningly as his voice boomed so loudly John was sure the entire neighborhood had heard him.

He paused a moment, looking down at the acceptance letter still gripped in his sweaty shaking hand and then took the long steps out the screen door letting it slam behind him, without ever looking back.


	17. Chapter 17

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**Quarantine Excerpt**

"GOD DAMMIT!" John screamed as he pounded another fist into the well-sealed door.

"Colonel, there is nothing more we can do from here. Rodney has explained this many times now and Dr. Zelenka is attempting to crawl through the vents of the city to reach the control room," Teyla repeated again as she carefully took a seat next to the table in the science lab where she and Colonel Sheppard were unwilling prisoners.

The doors had closed and sealed all over Atlantis, trapping people in many different locations due to a detected outbreak of disease in both the east and north wings. Teyla and Colonel Sheppard had both been seeking out Rodney and inadvertently had become locked together alone in his laboratory with no possible means of escape.

And Colonel Sheppard was _not_ happy about it.

He turned to her, his forehead starting to bead tiny droplets of sweat that he angrily wiped away with the back of his hand. His narrowed eyes drifted to her swollen belly and he quickly looked away, a glint of hidden emotion shining briefly in his eyes that went unnoticed by her.

"I just…hate being locked up like this……..," he said exasperatedly, although the actual truth was much more than simply that.

"I understand that Colonel," she replied evenly. "But you have been constantly pacing and pounding on the door for over thirty minutes with no result. I wish you would just try to relax. I am sure the others can handle this." She adjusted her position on the seat as he warily eyed the chair beside her.

"No, I'm good Teyla, thanks," he said turning again towards the door.

"Colonel, I think we have been trapped together for a purpose," she said eyeing his retreating back. "I wish to speak with you about something and have neither found the time nor the opportunity to do so until now."

His heart thudded hard in his chest as he closed his eyes momentarily in fear. He knew what she wanted to talk about and it was the last thing in the world he wanted to discuss.

He cleared his throat loudly. "I don't feel like talking right now, Teyla," he said, his voice giving a little tremble.

She spoke as if she had not heard him. "You are different now, you have been different with me for some time. I thought we were good enough friends to discuss matters such as this."

_'Friends, she said…friends,' _he thought loudly in his own head as a dark cringe outlined his eyes.

"Look, I'm fine, everything's fine, can we please just concentrate on getting out of here?" He walked over to the door again, frantically waving his hand against the unlit crystals.

He heard the chair squeak as she lifted herself from it and the patter of her shoes against the hard floor as she made her way to him. His breath caught in his dry throat as she reached up from behind him and placed a soft hand on his shoulder.

He did not turn. "Please, can we just talk about this later Teyla?"

"No, John. You will speak to me now," she said gently, her hand still perched on his shoulder.

He slowly turned his face sideways, pausing to stare painfully at her slender fingers upon him and whirled around to face her, his face dressed in so many held back emotions.

"There's nothing to talk about. You're pregnant and I just don't see you as much since you can't go on missions. That's all it is Teyla! So you can stop being paranoid!"

"_Paranoid_?" she stepped back, a look of hurt flashed across her face.

"Can we just not have this discussion? _Please_?" His eyes were full of a fueling desperation, one that burned at the very core of his heart.

Watching him, she realized it had been many months since he had looked at her, _really_ looked at her, the way he was at this very moment, sending a chill down her spine at the intensity of his eyes.

"_John, please……Talk to me_," she pleaded with him as she stepped closer and he stepped back.

"_I can't…"_ he said backing away towards the door, his eyes still locked with hers.

"John….."

"You wouldn't understand Teyla….."

"Please try……"

"and it wouldn't make any difference…"

"You don't know that….."

"I do know that! I know you would rather be with…….rather be with….."

She knew his meaning as his voice trailed and his eyes lingered; she finally understood why he had avoided her, why he would shy away from her, why he barely looked at her, and she knew she must tell him the truth.

"John, I-"

The doors slid open quietly, revealing the empty hallway beyond. John looked towards it, momentarily distracted and without looking back, walked quickly from the room leaving Teyla standing there with her hands shakily holding her large belly.


	18. Chapter 18

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**Unleashed**

"Do you know why you're here, Colonel?" Dr. Heightmeyer asked gently, watching the man before her fidget awkwardly on the couch in her office, his hands clasped together and his upper body rocking rhythmically back and forth.

Colonel Sheppard looked up at the kind face of the blonde doctor and gave her a forced tight-lipped smile before replying, "Because Colonel Carter insisted." The slightest hint of sarcasm was floating on his voice.

Kate smiled wide. "Yes, thats true Colonel Sheppard, but she did so for a specific reason. Would you like to talk about what happened?"

Colonel Sheppard stood from the couch and began circling it apprehensively, as his nerves tingled all over his body while he recalled the events that would haunt him now and forever. It had only been a few days, yet the unseen scars that remained, burned as a painful reminder and felt eternal, as though it had been years.

"Not really, but if thats what I'm supposed to do, then what choice do I have...No offense doc...," he gave a sheepish look out of the corner of his eye as he continued to move around the room anxiously.

Kate was used to resistance in patients, especially from those who were so well trained at keeping their emotions hidden, it usually made the revelations that much more explosive.

"Well then I'll start with what I know Colonel, if that makes it any easier," she said as she watched him make a reluctant face of agreement and she continued. "You were offworld with your team, an average day for you Colonel I'm sure, when something happened. You and your team entered a village. It says in your report the village seemed troublesome from the start..." Her voice trailed as she picked up the report and began reading it over, skimming his words.

"Yeah," he cleared his throat and began speaking as he examined the walls of her office carefully. "Troublesome to say the least. It reminded me of a town from some old western movie. People were roaming the streets completely hammered, starting fights everywhere, half dressed women shouting at us, even Rodney asked the first man we spoke to if his name was Wyatt Earp." John chuckled in spite of himself, obviously picturing the entire scene again in his head.

"We asked a couple people if they wanted to trade and they all directed us towards this particular building in the center of town, a sort of dominant saloon I guess you could call it. The four of us made it there without any interference. It's just that when we got there..." His voice trailed as he looked down at his shoes.

Kate looaked at him, watching the obvious emotions dance painfully across his face as he stood there, paused in thought. "Go on, Colonel," she urged him kindly.

His gaze was fixed on a particular piece of floor and he did not falter his gaze as he spoke, almost hypnotized by the surge of images past.

"There were all these people in there drinking, everyone was really loud and out of control. Rodney kept edging closer and closer to me as we walked through the chaos towards the bar looking for the owner. A large man stood behind the counter and gave us a filthy look when I asked to speak to whoever was in charge. He pointed a thumb towards a filthy, slimy looking guy at the end of the bar. So we went over to talk with him and..."

He stood there silent."So thats when it happened?" Kate asked after many moments of silence passed by.

John nodded. "He was obviously intoxicated. He payed no attention to what I was saying and immediately began pawing all over Teyla. Literally, _pawing_. He grabbed her close and Teyla fended him off easily enough with a strong arm twist, but he still came at her. He...he started touching her and it...it was ..."

"Inappropriate?" Kate offered.

"Very...so I..."

"Shot him?"

"Killed him..."

Kate nodded her head understandingly. "And how do you feel about that Colonel? Do you feel you did what was neccesary?

"No...I could have restrained him...I could have..."

"So why didnt you?"

"I...the way he was looking at her and...God, the way she looked at me when I did what I did, I..."

He buried his face into his hands momentarily before continuing.

"I just lost it, I just couldn't handle seeing him touch her like that."

"Why not Colonel? Because she's a member of your team? Because she's woman?? Or something more?"

John looked at Dr Heightmeyer directly for the first time since he had entered the room. "It doesn't matter why, it only matters that I did. I killed a man. In cold blood, when he had no weapon raised against me. I should be thrown in the brig or relieved of duty. It was a serious lack in judgement and I wouldn't hesitate to punish any one of the men under my command if the situation was reversed."

"Obviously Colonel, I don't approve of violence and certainly not murder, but I don't think you're being completely honest with your motives. To protect the people who matter the most to us is a primal emotion. It's pure instinct and the stronger the connection to the person, the stronger the emotion. I am going to insist you be suspended for a few weeks but only so that you can come to terms with what happened before getting back into the field. But even if you don't say anything aloud, I think you also need to realize your feelings for Teyla are deeper than you would like them to be. I think its important, so the next time a situation arises, you can distinguish the difference between your head and your heart."

Colonel Sheppard looked at the doctor who still carried a sympathetic smile across her face.

He nodded slowly and asked, "Are we done here doctor?"

"For now," she said softly.

He walked towards the door and stopped inches from it, before hesitantly looking back towards her over his shoulder. "She can never know..."

Kate nodded and watched as he straightened himself and walked out the door.


	19. Chapter 19

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**Missing  
(Excerpt One)**

Dr Jennifer Keller stood by the Stargate, her medical kit clasped in her hands as she watched Teyla descend down the long staircase to join her. Teyla looked well, wearing a brown leather outfit and Dr. Keller felt slightly intimidated by her confident presence.

"Hello Dr. Keller. I hope you are well today," Teyla greeted her with a wide smile.and stood beside her waiting for the gate to activate. Dr Keller felt instantly relieved of her reservations and felt comforted by the kind look on the Athosians face.

"Oh I'm just dandy. I gotta say though Teyla, I'm a little nervous your people won't take to me. They knew Carson and felt comfortable with him and now he's gone and it's just...well, me..." she said honestly, shrugging her shoulders as the wormhole engaged before them, lighting both their faces in an eerie light blue.

Teyla tilted her head slightly to the side, a sympathetic glow in her eyes. "I understand your feelings Dr. Keller, but I assure you, my people will accept you with open arms and open hearts. Just as I have," she said kindly, putting a gentle hand on the younger woman's shoulder.

Dr. Keller beamed. "It's Jennifer."

Teyla nodded. "Jennifer then. Shall we?" And she held out her hand and the two women stepped through the gate.

When they reached the other side, lush green trees surrounded them and the grass at their feet was yellow from the many tramplings back and forth between the gate and New Athos.

"It is not a far walk from here," Teyla informed her as they began walking down the beaten path to their right towards the Athosians village.

The walked at a brisk pace, Teyla's long leather jacket flowing out regally behind her, while the medical kit in the doctors hand clanged noisily against her thigh with each step.

"Ya know, I really think I'm gonna like working with you guys. Look at me, I'm getting out, hitting the field. This is exactly what I need. I know it's gonna be a transition filling in for Carson and it'll take some time before people get used to me, but so far, everyones been really great and if you don't mind me saying the eye candy isn't so bad either," Dr. Keller laughed aloud to herself at her own statement.

"Eye candy?" Teyla asked, slightly amused.

"Yeah, you know? Something sweet to look at? As in Colonel Sheppard and Ronon Dex?" Jennifer looked at Teyla for a response.

Teyla's eyebrows raised quite high and she stifled a laugh as she put a hand to her mouth to hide her smile.

"Oh, I see..."

"Oh c'mon! You work with them all the time and you're telling me you've never noticed them like that??" Jennifer looked at Teyla disbelievingly.

Teyla suddenly seemed more serious and gave the doctor a narrowed look from the corner of her eye. "We all share a bond. We are all great friends..."

Dr Keller looked away, a mocking expression on her face." Uh-huh, sure. If you say so."

Teyla stopped hard. She looked around wildly. Her gut felt wrenched and her heart thudded hard. No songs of birds filled the air, no rustle of animal or man. Something was wrong, something was off.

"What is it?" Jennifer asked noticing her pause and expression.

Teyla held up a hand for silence and the two women stood amongst the looming trees, both their heads turning every which way.

BOOM.

Something clanged hard into the tree directly beside Dr. Keller causing her to jump back in surprise and drop her medical kit to the ground. A large metal disk was firmly embedded in the tree, obviously from a well placed throw. Jennifer turned horrified towards Teyla, who was already scanning the treeline with a well trained eye before she noticed three dark figures approaching them, all with long weapons in their hands.


	20. Chapter 20

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**Missing  
(Excerpt Two)**

Teyla's mouth turned into a dark snarl as she positioned herself against the three oncoming attackers. They were strange creatures, with blackened skin and dark armor and they carried long wooden sticks, each with a lethal looking blade protruding from one end, a primitive looking weapon yet one that could do much damage.

"STAY BACK!" she yelled loudly to Dr. Keller who immediately listened to the Athosian warrior and remained half hidden behind a large tree, her round eyes growing larger and larger by the second.

The creatures surrounded Teyla and she held her arms out ready, her head swiftly turning towards each of their positions as they all moved together around her in a fast paced circle.

The one behind her moved first. A strong arm came directly at Teyla's exposed back and she blocked it quickly with a speedy hand, just before the creature to her left swung out with the long stick gripped in its mutant hand. It missed her head by less than an inch as she barely noticed in time and moved her head backwards, feeling the whoosh of the movement just grazing her chin.

Two of the creatures grabbed her simultaneously from behind, both taking an arm and twisting it painfully behind her. She yelped in surprise and twisted futilely, attempting to free herself, as the third creature approached her from the front, and leered at her viciously as its breath came in wasps of smoke from its snouted nose and blackened mouth.

Teyla's face was full of anger and she continued to struggle hard against the strong grips of her assailants, as the one facing her gave a loud war cry from his throat, rearing back its mangled head, before it raised its bladed stick high in the air poised to strike.

"TEYLA!" Dr Keller screamed.

It was just enough for the opposing creature to turn its ugly head towards the desperate cry, giving Teyla the opportunity to lash out with her thick boot and kick the creature in its belly, causing it to drop its weapon and instantly double over in pain.

A strong elbow whipped back into one of the beings behind her and the other received a well-placed fist in its throat. Teyla reached down swiftly and grabbed the fallen weapon from the first attacker and twirled it expertly once, before bringing it down hard and slicing the head off of the still gasping creature before her.

The other two shared the same fate and soon Teyla was standing over the three headless bodies, her breath jaggedly short and her legs firmly planted as she remained in a readied position.

Dr. Keller came running out from behind the tree, a sincere look of relief plastered across her face. "Oh my God! Teyla, are you okay?"

Teyla seemed to relax after hearing her voice and turned slowly, keeping the weapon still held in her hand.

"I must go on to the village. If these creatures have come to this planet, they may have attacked my people. You must return to the Stargate and tell them what has happened here," she said ignoring the doctor's question.

"No way!" Jennifer said harshly.

Teyla looked taken aback by the woman's forceful tone.

"There's no way I'm leaving you out here by yourself! And besides, if any of your people are wounded, they'll need me. This is what I'm here for, okay? I signed up for this? All right? All of it." The determined look on the young woman's face made Teyla's heart soar momentarily. Her bravery and thoughtfulness reminded her of a certain Scottish doctor who had many times over, shown his willingness to put others before himself.

"Then we must go now," Teyla said nodding to the doctor. And the two women took off running towards the village.


	21. Chapter 21

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**Missing  
(Excerpt Three)**

The two women ran as fast as their legs could carry them with Teyla far in the lead. Teyla's breath caught in her throat as she cleared the trees and looked upon the village before her. A heavy silence filled the air and nothing within eyesight moved.

The village was completely empty.

Jennifer came up behind her breathing heavily, putting her hands on her knees as she cleared the trees and came to a stop. Her face looked horrified at the stillness of the camp and after a moment, she stood straight and began to follow the dazed Athosian towards the empty rows of tents.

"Is anybody here?" the doctor called. Her voice echoed strangely and sent chills down Teyla's neck.

"Where is everyone?" Jennifer turned towards Teyla, who stood beside the remains of an unused campfire.

"I do not know," she said. "But they did not leave of their own accord."

Jennifer looked at her, her eyes full of fright. "Are you saying they were attacked?"

Teyla looked around, her eyes scanning wildly and then finally resting above towards the clouds. "Or culled," she said evenly.

The women continued looking around; unsure of what to do when suddenly the doctor made a strange sound, a loud cut off gasp.

Teyla turned and watched Jennifer's face freeze in horror before her eyes rolled back and she fell forward quickly towards the ground, revealing a small dart with a red feathered end protruding from her back.

Teyla immediately dropped to the ground instinctively, but it was too late. She felt the swift pinch on her lower calf and pulled a dart from her own leg which made a thick suction sound and stared at it disgustedly for a moment, before all became black and she too slumped to the floor.

When Teyla woke, only a few moments passed of blurred vision before she remembered what had happened. She was chained inside one of the Athosian tents and Dr Keller was beside her, also bound.

Teyla heaved against her restraints as silently as possible while keeping a watchful eye for their still unseen attackers.

The jingle of chains seemed to stir Jennifer from her slumber and she moaned as her head began to nod to the side.

"Wha...What happened?" she said groggily as she attempted to squint around the empty tent.

"We have been taken prisoner," Teyla said calmly. "By whom, we do not yet know."

As soon as she spoke, the tent opening flapped wildly in the wind and Jennifer jumped to her feet in fright. Teyla stood tall, waiting, as the two women listened and soon heard the sound of footsteps thumping closer and closer against the cold, hard ground.

"They're coming!" whispered Jennifer in a loud hushed voice.

"Do not be afraid.You will survive, you will return home," Teyla said to her as she kept her eyes on the door.

"What are you talking about?" Jennifer said.

"I will negotiate your release with them. If they wished us dead, we would already be so," Teyla said, her mind whirring fast with thought. "The lives of everyone on Atlantis are at stake. You must return and warn them. Tell them what has happened here."

Jennifer looked at her confused and was about to protest further when the flap opened completely and a large blackened creature stood in the shadow of the doorway. His breath was loud and he was tall and wide, making the pit in the doctors stomach almost unbearably heavy.

He approached the women, without saying a word. Teyla was unsure of his species, he seemed to be a mixed breed, part man, part beast. He stared at them both with his black eyes and he growled softly without ever opening his mouth. His gaze fixed on Teyla and he neared her until only an inch or two seperated them. She stared hard at him and refused to show any signs of weakness or fear and the two engaged each others eyes for what felt like an enternity.

"Release us," Teyla said without blinking an eye.

The beast laughed gently and raised a clawed hand to Teyla's face, letting a long jagged fingernail run down her soft cheek. Jennifer gasped and Teyla still did not move as his mutated hands wrapped softly around her throat and tightened ever so gently.

"You are different from the others..." the beast said quietly to her. "You are...primal...like me..."

Jennifer turned away horrified as he neared his blackened mouth towards Teyla's defiant glare when a loud noise suddenly came from the other end of the tent.

In the doorway stood another shadow. This beast seemed more man than the other. His features were somewhat human and only the color of his skin gave his true nature away.

"Kane, leave us!" he barked at the beast beside them.

Kane turned his head back and looked hard at Teyla one last time before nodding his head and walking slowly past the other, out onto the grounds.

"I apologize for any lewdness of his part, Kane simply does not know better," the creature said. "You must have questions, I'm sorry. My name is Zor. We are the Bolo Kai, the forgotten."


	22. Chapter 22

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**Missing  
(Excerpt Four)**

"I am sorry for the restraints but from the three dead soldiers we have recovered from the forest, I find they are necessary," Zor said with a slight grimace on his warped face.

He wore dark armor, the same as the rest, but his upper bodice piece held a red symbol in the upper left corner, no doubt marking him as some form of leader amongst his clan.

"They attacked _us_," Teyla said with a strong voice, again heaving on her well placed chains.

"I understand," Zor said nodding understandingly. "But you see why I cannot unchain you."

Teyla said nothing and looked over at the cowering doctor beside her. Turning back, she said with an air of confidence, "Please release my companion, she was not part of the fight."

The beast narrowed his eyes and stepped closer to them, examining them closely. "Very well, we shall make arrangements. She is not necessary to our cause." He turned and began to walk from the tent as Teyla gave a small sigh of relief and relaxed on her chains.

Jennifer straightened quickly, a frightened look upon her pale face. "No! I am _not_ leaving you here! This is crazy! Why can't you just let us both go?!"

Zor stopped just before walking out, his hand holding open the large tent flap and turned back to respond with an expressionless look upon his face. "You were not part of the deal." And then he turned and left.

"Deal? What deal?!" she called after him. "Teyla, what the hell is going on here? Where are your people? I can't leave you here alone like this!" Her face was twisted in agony as she looked beside her at the bound female warrior.

"I will be fine Dr Keller," Teyla said calmly. "You must return quickly to Atlantis and tell Colonel Sheppard what has happened. Tell him…," her voice struggled. "Tell him not to come for me, tell him I asked for this. He will resist, but you must convince him. I must follow this road alone and find out what has happened to my people. If there is any chance they are still alive, I must seek them out."

"I'm not just leaving you here….." Jennifer said, her voice pleading. "_I saw the way that beast looked at you….." _

Teyla smiled in spite of the horrified look on the doctor's face. "I will be fine doctor, please…..do not forget what I asked….."

Two beasts entered the tent at that moment and began unchaining the doctor, who immediately shied away from their overbearing presence, putting as much distance as possible between her and them.

When she was free, each beast grabbed an arm of hers and began ushering her out of the tent. She looked back over her shoulder exclaiming, "Teyla! Wait! Teyla!"

Teyla only smiled bravely and nodded towards her retreating figure, hoping she would remember what she said.

Fear filled Teyla's heart as she was left alone in the tent, the small silence drifting uncomfortably to her ears.

Her fear was not of the beasts and their savagery, but in the fate of her people. Fear that their calls of help had been silenced forever; and fear that she may be the last Athosian left in the universe.


	23. Chapter 23

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**Missing  
(Excerpt Five)**

"Incoming wormhole!" Chuck yelled loudly over the din. "Who is it?" asked Colonel Carter as she calmly approached the control panel. "It's Dr. Keller's I.D.C. ma'am," he replied after a moment.

"Lower the shield," she said crossing her arms and stepping over to the small balcony.

Dr Keller came barreling through the event horizon, her arms flailing as if she had been violently shoved through. She immediately called out for Colonel Sheppard and fell awkwardly to the floor. Colonel Carter rushed from the balcony and quickly descended the long staircase as she called out for a medical team and ran towards her fallen friend.

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Jennifer yelled harshly as Samantha helped her up. "I need to speak to Colonel Sheppard immediately! Samantha, please!"

Samantha tapped her earpiece and called for Colonel Sheppard's presence in the gate room as she looked curiously at her chief of medical staff.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you Colonel, I just……" she trailed still catching her breath.

"Where's Teyla? What happened?" Carter asked as the wormhole deactivated to its eerie hum behind them.

Jennifer's face grew grim as she began to speak, her breath still coming in gasps. "These, these monsters, they took us…..and they let me go….but Teyla….she……".

Colonel Sheppard came flying down the stairs unaware of the grave situation and came up just beside the two women. "What's going on?" he asked, taking in the solemn faces before him.

Neither woman said a word.

"Um, hello? What's happening here ladies? What are you…..," he started to ask looking at Dr Keller and then realized something. "Hey, weren't you off world with Teyla today?"

She gulped and looked at him earnestly, unable to keep quiet any longer. "I'm sorry sir! We were ambushed in the village! All of her people were missing and these….these _monsters_ took us prisoner! Teyla asked them to release me but she…..she told….she told me to tell you not to come after her….sir…."

John's face turned an ashen gray and he cut her off. "Wait. Where _is_ Teyla, Dr Keller?"

Jennifer looked at Colonel Carter briefly before replying with a shameful look on her face. "They still have her," she replied quietly.

John's throat suddenly felt very dry and his eyes seemed deadened momentarily in the gate room's bright lights.

He cleared his throat and turned suddenly, surprising both women as they jumped at his abrupt movement after watching him stand there silent as time passed.

"Dial the planet!" he suddenly called up to the control room.

"Delay that order!" called Colonel Carter.

John turned to her, a murderous look on his face. "Didn't you just hear what she said? They have Teyla prisoner!"

Colonel Carter looked hesitant, but remained true to her statement. "We don't even know the full story yet, Colonel! I won't allow you to rush in there without fully understanding what's on the other side. We'll have an immediate debriefing in the conference room. Call your team."

"I don't give a crap about your debriefing! She's back there alone! I won't let a member of my team suffer while we stop and have a meeting! NOW, DIAL THE DAMN PLANET!" he called up once again.

Chuck's face was frozen as his eyes flitted back and forth between the two Colonels.

Colonel Carter spoke softly but firmly. "John, don't turn this into something it doesn't have to be."

John's eyes burned at her and he stepped closer with a menacing expression on his face as Dr Keller watched in awe.

With his mouth snarled angrily, he replied, "No one, _and I mean no one_, is gonna stand in my way on this, Samantha……" Their eyes met and locked as a battle waged in unspoken words between them. Moments passed and Dr Keller's breath was held as she waited to see who would make a move first.

John turned his head again and spoke loudly, "Now you dial that planet or I'll come up there and do it myself!"


	24. Chapter 24

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**Missing Excerpt 6**

Once Dr Keller had been taken away, Teyla was alone, accompanied in the slowly darkening tent only by the rhythmic sounds of her own breathing. She knew all attempts to break her restraints were futile and gave it no further thought as she waited quietly, lost in her own mind.

An hour or so passed and she saw the daylight beginning to dim through the tents thin cloth. It would be dark soon and she wondered how long the Bolo Kai would stay on New Athos. She also wondered how long Dr Keller could actually keep Colonel Sheppard at bay.

The quick opening of the tent flap interrupted Teyla's thoughts as Kane, the darkened beast warrior entered the tent once again.

He took three strides towards Teyla and stood so near her, she thought for a brief moment their noses might be touching. His eyes scanned hers hard, they were curious, harsh, and….something else. Something that made Teyla's stomach rise with sick and her heart beat fast against her chest.

"You are not afraid of me………" he growled with a low voice, practically whispering into her face.

"No. I am afraid of no man……_or beast_….," she said quietly, their eyes still connected.

He reached up with a clawed hand and placed it on her shoulder, letting it trail down the side of her body and linger, as his eyes never left her face.

Her mounting spit caught his cheek and he grinned wildly, grabbing her hard and pulling her close.

"We do not know women such as you…….but I will know _you_ warrior……" he said hungrily.

The tent flap opened again and Zor emerged from the other side. "I thought I told you to take her to the pit. We cannot afford for her people to return and disturb our work. We are almost ready," he addressed Kane with a discouraging look in his eye. He sights turned to Teyla who was still held steady in Kane's massive grip.

"Where are my people?" she asked with quickened breath.

"Safe, for now."

"What do you mean, _for now_?"

"When we get paid their bounty, I no longer care what becomes of them."

"And who has paid a bounty for them?"

"Ahhh, a businessman never reveals his source, but we were told if we captured their leader….well the bounty just doubled." He turned back to Kane. " Some of us would be wise to remember that," he said pointedly. "Now, take her to the pit this instant."

Kane relaxed his grip at his masters bidding and unchained Teyla from the ceiling restraint, dragging her like a leashed animal out of the tent and into the night.

****

****


	25. Chapter 25

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**Missing Excerpt 7**

****

Teyla stumbled through black murky puddles as she was led violently through the remains of the Athosians village and into the vast forest beyond. Darkness had conquered the light and the last few splinters of pink horizon were flittering away over the great white mountains of New Athos. The tree branches sliced mercilessly at her face as she was dragged like some malevolent animal by the dark beast Kane, whose hungry eyes would burn through the Athosian's clothes, as he sinfully imagined all that was beneath.

As the darkness finally engulfed them fully, she only hoped if this was to be her demise that she would find the leader of the Bolo Kai, Zor, had been telling her the truth, and that her people still lived to see another day.

The chains rubbed hatefully away at her tender wrists, turning soft tanned skin to flayed scorched flesh as she winced silently in almost unbearable agony.

Suddenly, Kane stopped amidst some strangely bent trees that seemed to gateway a dark tunnel hidden beneath the earth. Teyla thought it was extremely well made, camoflauged there amidst the brush and foliage.

The momentary relief of her relentless bonds was only just, and soon she was being pulled further and further into the pitch blackness of the desolate cavern below.

Moments after venturing in, small beams of light emitted from either side of the dark tunnel from long, primitive torches held every few meters along the otherwise barren walls of dirt and wood.

She tried to focus her eyes against the wavering flame lit shadows and soon she began to see the walls on her right had small cells carved into them and as she passed by hurriedly pulled by the beast, she desperatley tried to slow herself and squint furiously at each cells inhabitants.

The shadowed faces began to press themselves against the metal bars restraining them and soon many arms stretched out, grabbing and grasping towards her; their anguished cries and shouts of "Teyla!" echoing eerily down the endless tunnel filling her heart with sadness and her mind with relief as tears rolled continually down her cheeks.

Once they were far enough away that the hushed cries of her people had died somewhere in the lifeless air, Kane stopped affront a cell completely isolated from the others and he easily unlocked its filthy gate. He turned and stared at her hard for a moment before gesturing with his head for her to enter.

She did so, her eyes never leaving his, even as he clanged the gate shut behind her as the metal bars remained there, the only thing standing between them.

"Zor cannot protect you in here, warrior," he said fiercely as his eyes trailed up and down her body.

"I need no protection," she said calmly, her tone of voice as even as ever.

He pressed himself up against the bars and reached out with his massively clawed hand that missed her exposed neck by merely inches and he smiled cruelly before he spoke.

"I will return woman, and when I do, your defiance will mean nothing, for I will have you and you will know horrors of which you have never even dreamed..."

He drew back his outstreched hand and wrapped it tightly around the metal bar, the coloring of his knuckles changing with his intense grip as his eyes continued to scour her body and face.

Then he smiled once before leaving her there, alone in the dark with shaky breath, with no hope or illusions of her own rescue, only the passing relief that her people were still alive for now and that they perhaps still had a fighting chance, if only Colonel Sheppard and Atlantis would arrive there in time to save them. 


	26. Chapter 26

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**Missing Finale**

The slowly fading flickering of light emitting from the rustic torches seemed to dull after awhile and the shadows dancing eerily on the cavern wall grew dim. Teyla's eyes felt heavy and her will felt strained deep inside.

Enough time had passed where she knew Kane would come for her soon. She had tried calling out to her people with her dirty face pressed between the bars but only the echo of her own cracking voice filled her ears time and again.

She lapsed back, sitting down in the dirt, her back against the hard wall. Her chest sighed deeply as she tried to focus on a conceivable plan of escape for her people and although she could not think of one, she could think of no better death than to die by their side.

Soon, the shadows began to move again as someone approached; their breath was deep and their footsteps heavy against the dirt floor. Teyla stood, her wrists still bound, the shredded flesh beneath throbbing still from her earlier venture, and she was ready. Ready for whatever madness Kane would bring her.

He stood there watching her through the bars for a moment, quiet and still. His chest heaved in anticipation and after a moment, he began to undo the armor guarding his chest, letting the weighty metal drop to a heap on the floor beside him.

Teyla kept her face reserved and defiant, as though this was not some horrible feat and rather something completely unfazing. She would never willingly let him have her and she would never let him see her flinch.

His body now almost completely bare, he finally opened the steely cage door and slammed it shut behind him. Teyla quickly reached to sneak a deadly kick at his momentary movement, but her leg was caught easily by his large beastly hand.

He smiled at her and shoved her foot away speaking softly as he approached steadily. "Do not try to escape warrior, or the women of your clan will suffer your fate for you. And I will not be as kind to them as I will be to you." He pressed his bare flesh up against her as she turned her face away, disgusted. His hot breath was in her ear whispering, "But I do not mind if you scream………"

His hands reached up and ripped her clothes slightly around her shoulders, exposing her bare skin. Her eyes began to tear as hard as she tried to force them back, and she silently began to pray, wondering if she could overcome him with her hands bound this way and if she should even take the chance of bringing more pain and suffering to her innocent people.

Kane grabbed her face, forcing her to look at him, seeing the shining glisten behind her eyes and laughed. "You will not enjoy this……" he said roughly, bringing his mouth to her.

Suddenly he gasped loudly, a jagged, choking sound. Teyla looked down confused and noticed a large spearhead protruding from deep within his throat thrust all the way through his neck from somewhere behind. He dropped his hold on Teyla and turned, his eyes wide in surprise as he gasped with his hands flailing at the air around his neck.

Colonel Sheppard stood there, a murderous look in his eyes as he watched Kane struggle for composure as he dropped to his knees, a straggling winded noise emitting from the hole in his neck.

Sheppard lowered himself until his face was practically touching the dying beasts and he whispered, "Rot in hell you sick son of a bitch..."

Teyla's heart flooded with relief as Colonel Sheppard began to undo her binds and when she was finally free, she wrapped her bloodied arms around him, choking on her own sobs of joy. Sheppard held her for a moment, his own heart thudding, grateful that he had reached her in time, before he removed his jacket and covered her bare shoulders with it.

She was about to speak when he cut her off. "Before you say anything Teyla, theres something you should know. Your people are missing. There were a few...deceased bodies in the other cells, but other than that they were empty. Ronon thinks they were only taken away just before we arrived," he said gently watching the briefly smiling features fall away from her solemn face.

She swallowed deep and nodded her head, silently, taking in what the Colonel had said. As he lead her back up the dark tunnel, his arm holding steady at her back, she vowed to herself she would not rest until she found her people. They needed her and she would not abandon them. Not now, not ever.


	27. Chapter 27

_This chunk was done for Camy's Prompt Challenge Beya's LJ __for the words "Preferential Treatment"- Its for my take on the upcoming spoiler of Bates' return._

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**Preferential Treatment**

"Sir!" Bates raised a firm hand to his forehead as Colonel Sheppard approached him down the long corridor. Seeing this, Colonel Sheppard immediately stiffened and raised his own hand in return but suddenly stopped and looked curiously at Atlantis' former head of security.

"Bates," he said, eyeing the man warily. "I thought they discharged you from the service." Bates looked momentarily sheepish and responded as he relaxed himself, "They did, sir. I guess its just…..habit."

Colonel Sheppard nodded. He was never friendly with the man before him, but nevertheless, he was, at one time, a fellow officer and that counted, at least, for some undesired small talk.

"So…..," John spoke slowly as he tried to think of something to say. "I was glad to hear you weren't seriously injured in that Wraith attack."

"Yes sir. Thank you sir." Bates cleared his throat. " And I was sorry to hear about your father Colonel."

John looked away uncomfortably. "Thanks……"

"So how is Atlantis these days?" Bates continued after a moment of awkward silence passed.

"It has its up and downs," John spoke returning his gaze. "Just like when you were there."

Again, the heavy blanket of silence fell on them both as they stared unsurely at each other, one man desperate to leave the conversation, while the other knew exactly what he wanted to say.

"I hear the Athosian woman is with child," Bates said with a new tone to his voice.

John's mouth grimaced involuntarily at the mention of Teyla. She was the last thing he wanted to talk about these days, let alone having the conversation about her with Bates, of all people.

"You heard right then," John started with a harshness in his voice, as he began to inch his way past the prodding eyes staring so intently at him. "Listen, I'm just gonna get to the meeting now. With all this new Replicator talk, we should probably-"

"Is it yours?" Bates interrupted, the faintest hint of a scowl playing on his face.

"Excuse me?" John stopped, his face reddening instantly as he cocked his head to the side.

"Is the child yours, sir?" Bates was absolutely glowering with disdain now.

"What……why would you ask me something like that Sergeant?" John felt flustered and did not notice he had reverted to calling the man by his former rank.

Bates stepped forward, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. "Oh c'mon Colonel. Let's not play games; everyone always knew there was something between you two. All the preferential treatment you gave her, even back when you just met. It was inappropriate then, just the same as it is now. Even more so, if you did in fact impregnate the alien woman, one that could easily disrupt the balance between galaxies with her filthy Wraith D.N.A. and her obvious disregard for our protocol. I see nothing has changed as far as your selfishness goes. Although I must say Colonel, I'm a little embarrassed for you, that it took you this long to finally get in her pants--"

BOOM.

The tightly fisted hand that had been gathering force at Colonel Sheppard's side had been fueling with an intense hatred as each distasteful word fell from Bates' mouth, and finally had released all its aggression on the former Sergeants jutted chin.

Bates fell backwards onto the floor, obviously surprised by the strong blow, instantly putting his own hands up towards the fresh blood splattering his nose and mouth.

Sheppard's hands shook and he did not release his tightly gripped fist as he leaned down towards the cowering man on the floor. His voice was hushed but firm at the same time.

"I know you can't help being an ignorant prick Bates, but if I EVER hear you speak of Teyla like that again, I can assure you, your Wraith attack will seem like a walk in the park compared to what I'll do to you."

Sheppard stood to full height and saluted the bleeding man on the floor before turning on a heel and heading for the meeting.


	28. Chapter 28

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**Indiscretion**

John stormed down the hallway, his heart thumping wildly beneath his chest. He heard the footsteps clattering behind him and still he did not turn until a strong hand gripped his shoulder from behind forcing him to stop.

His face was twisted in anger as he turned to peer into Teyla's face. Her eyes were wide with surprise and although Sheppard couldn't be sure, he thought she almost looked afraid.

"_WHAT_?" he said as rudely as possible, trying to conceal the fact that his hands were trembling by placing them behind his back.

"I do not understand why you are so upset Colonel," she started, a slight tremor in her words. "No one else seemed to think it was such a terrible thing."

"No one else huh? " he repeated, an incredulous tone to his voice. "Well, then I guess I must be overreacting then?"

"Tell me what is really going on here, John," she said her tone becoming more and more aggressive.

"What's really going on is I can't believe you were having a relationship with some guy and didn't even have the decency to tell us! I can't believe you didn't even trust us enough to tell us about this guy! I just didn't picture you as the type for secrets and games……"

Teyla's eyes burned red as fire as she spat back her angry retort. "I was not having a relationship with _some guy_, as you call it. This is not all part of some secret ploy to deceive my teammates of what I do with my free time, NOT that it is any of your concern either way Colonel. This is simply something that just happened and not something that was planned."

"Oh, so you just jumped into bed with some random guy? Got knocked up by a stranger then? Great…_Way to go, Teyla_…."

Teyla's hand hit Colonel Sheppard's cheek with a resounding smack.

As she pulled her hand away, she frowned despite herself. She did not like hurting Colonel Sheppard and apparently her pregnancy had an effect on him of a profound nature, which in itself, added to Teyla's growing list of complications.

"For someone who has quite a list of his own indiscretions, you are certainly quick to make judgments Colonel, especially when you do not know the full story."

She turned and started walking away briskly, stopping once to turn back and stare hurtfully at his quieted face. "Maybe you should ask yourself Colonel, why do you even _really _care so much…."

And she turned again and left the hall leaving Colonel Sheppard standing alone with his reddening left cheek and trembling hands still behind his back.


	29. Chapter 29

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**A New Beginning**

He stared hard into the mirror; the freshly healing slash that had just barely missed taking his left eye mocked him silently. New skin was growing in its place and it looked as ugly and horrid as Ronon felt.

How could that have happened? How could he have almost lost his life at the clawed hands of a filthy disgusting Wraith? How could he have let Michael get that close? These questions burned at the very core of Ronon's heart and he felt as though he never had before: _Weak_.

The mutated face in the mirror would remind him everyday of his failure, of his shame, and he needed to do something, _anything_, to sear the repeating memory from replaying over and over again his mind.

The hatred welling inside him was a new disease to his soul and the laughter and kinship he had come to know so well on Atlantis felt a million lifetimes away.

His eyes filled with tears but they were not tears of sadness, but his expression of frustration and loathing, his own personal omen to the darkness that was to come; the darkness that _he_ would bring.

He reached over wildly grasping for the battle-axe that lay dormant to his left, thrown carelessly amidst his messy bed linens. Using one hand to hold out his long coarse hair, he began slicing away at the near root by the nape of his neck, the silent scream clogged somewhere deep in his throat as the tears continued to shine through.

When he finally finished, the floor by his feet was covered in the hair he had taken so long to grow, the strands of a man he needn't be acquainted with any longer, the mark of a weak, undisciplined Satedan. And yet the man facing him in the mirror was someone he did not yet know, but felt strangely familiar staring back with a small smile across his face and no sign of the lingering tears that had been there moments ago.


	30. Chapter 30

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**A Brief Encounter**

"Colonel, if we don't get her back…." Kanan said. Colonel Sheppard whipped around and pointed his finger directly into Kanan's surprised faced and he began to shout. "I don't want to hear ONE WORD from you about her! If it wasn't for you she wouldn't even be in this position!" He turned wildly toward the others. "Could somebody get this guy out of my face please?!"

Ronon and Rodney simply gaped, although Ronon's leg motioned forward momentarily, he decidedly remained exactly where he was.

Kanans' surprise turned quickly into anger and the scowl on his face grew like a thick dark cloud. "I am becoming less and less tolerant of your disrespectful and unwarranted behavior Colonel. Should I not be worried that the mother of my child, my wife to be, has be kidnapped by a rogue Wraith that seemingly has a vendetta against you and your expedition for experimenting on him and ultimately severing him permanently from his people? If we are to assign blame Colonel, I would say that burden would fall to you and yours."

Colonel Sheppard rushed forward knocking Kanan off his feet and launched him into a nearby wall. His fist was curled tightly around the Athosians' shirtfront while he searched the man eyes for something, _anything _to give him a reason to take him down.

Ronon and Rodney ran towards them, both anxiously trying to separate the two men before things could become any worse.

Sheppard snarled into Kanan's face and spoke harshly as spit flew carelessly from his mouth. "Don't talk about things you don't understand. And don't you_ EVER_ tell me how to do my job!"

Finally, Ronon had succeeded in separating the two and shoved Sheppard back a few feet, though he did not move from his spot between the two opposing men.

"We are getting her back and she is staying here with us Kanan. I'm not letting you take her away and I don't care what your people think of us or of what happened, Teyla's place is here, with us. _This_ is her home," Sheppard said, his eyes never leaving Kanan's.

Kanan's face lit suddenly, as if finally some elusive mystery or missing piece of truth had finally been acknowledged. "What you really mean to say Colonel is her place is here with YOU."

Rodney and Ronon said nothing but their gazes were set on Colonel Sheppard and from the looks on their faces, Sheppard knew in an instant that they agreed with what Kanan had just said, as if all along they had known his feelings when he himself did not.

Sheppard started to shake his head and stammer awkwardly, "That-that's not what I said. I said—"

"You are either a fool Colonel or privy to information that I have not," Kanan said evenly. "You do remember of course that she is carrying _my_ child, and that when this madness if over it is her and_ I_ are that to be wed."

Ronon and Rodney's expressions went from one of understanding to one of pity as they moved their gaze along with the conversation from one man to the other and now their sights rested again on the Colonel.

Sheppard felt crazed, out of control, and the thought that this man Kanan or any man could hold any power over him was too much to bear. "You don't understand. You could never understand the things we've been through together! What we have is-_is_….."

"_Is_ never going to pass Colonel, of that I can assure you," Kanan spoke with a renewed eerie calm. He turned to Ronon and Rodney briefly. "Please let me know if anything regarding Teyla is discovered."

Kanan made his leave of the room, stopping only once at the entranceway and giving Sheppard a look of pure contempt just before he fell out of view.

Sheppard lunged towards the now empty doorway though only to be caught by Ronon's swift arm.

"Don't," Ronon gruffed. "Not now anyways……We have work to do."

"Yes, " Rodney chimed in heading back to the computer. "Let's find Teyla shall we?"

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	31. Chapter 31

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**-------------------------------------------**

**A Tremble**

Teyla and Ronon walked towards the infirmary hand in hand. Being back on Atlantis after a mission always brought them comfort, though this time Ronon could feel the small trembling off the edge of Teyla's fingertips.

He squeezed her hand comfortingly and turned to her as they continued walking slowly.

"Don't worry. He'll get over it...," Ronon said sympathetically.

Teyla, lost in her own thoughts, was jolted back to reality at the sound of Ronon's deep voice.

"What...Oh, Colonel Sheppard...yes, he seemed..._quite an__gry_...," she replied, her mind replaying Sheppards' harsh tone and quick words.

"I think it just came as a shock to him is all," Ronon said as they rounded a corner. "He didn't know about Kanan."

Teyla took a few more steps and then stopped, releasing Ronon's hand in the process and turning towards him questioningly.

"Are you saying his reaction was not from the fact he believes I put the child and myself in danger, but from the fact that I was with another man that he was unaware of?"

Ronon stared at Teyla, deeply intaking the dramatic inflections on her weary face.

He sighed heavily before responding softly.

"Do you really mean to tell me Teyla that you don't know whats going on? You don't see how he really feels?"

Teylas face masked confusion. "How he feels about _what_ Ronon?"

Ronon said nothing and shook his head. "Never mind, this isn't the time. You need to get to the infirmary. We can talk about this later."

"No Ronon. You will tell me _now_. Colonel Sheppards feelings about _what_?" she reponded quickly, her emphatic tone causing Ronon to speak before he had time to think clearly.

"The way he feels about **you**!" Ronon closed his eyes immediately after speaking, his delayed realization of what he just said instantly weighing on his shoulders.

He opened his eyes to see Teyla's face frozen in a mixture of surprise and brimming with tears.

She said nothing and Ronon hurriedly continued talking, the silence in the hallway echoing loudly in his ears.

"Can we just go see the Doc now Teyla? Please, we need to get you checked out..."

He held out his hand again; she took it hesitantly and they turned, continuing on towards the infirmary, though this time the trembling of Teyla's fingers were not small, but wickedly jagged, as she swallowed back the fear and confusion swelling her heart.

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	32. Chapter 32

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**-------------------------------------------**

**Sunlight**

The cell was small and cramped and the thick shadows seemed to constantly play tricks on Teyla's weary brown eyes. The harsh stench of rot and sewage swarmed through Teyla's head and she held back her gag by placing the palm of her hand over her dry mouth.

Small shafts of light shone through cracks in the old walls of stone giving small comfort to her as the solid steel bars leading out were impenetrable, at least with any of the strength or resources Teyla had at her immediate disposal.

Still she would not dismay, for if Michael had truly wanted her dead, she knew, this would surely already be so by now. He had many opportunities over the past few nights and undoubtedly the will, though no harm had come to her more than a few slight bruises and an unquenchable thirst for water.

Footsteps approached and Teyla straightened herself; placing both her hands on the cell bars, looking out eagerly, waiting for him. Negotiation was her only hope of survival she thought, at least until someone from Atlantis figured out what had happened.

There he stood, slightly different from the last time Atlantis had encountered him. Michael now seemed more human in appearance than Wraith and Teyla prayed that any slivers of empathy or compassion had mutated alongside with it.

"Michael," she started calmly as he stood there watching her, with his head tilted to the side. "I have been here for three days and still you have not spoken a word to me. Please, tell me what is going on, tell me why you have taken me."

He stepped towards her slightly, a vague air of hesitation in his step, and he sighed heavily. "I am sorry Teyla. There are things happening here that are beyond even my control. You are a necessary victim of circumstance, though I admit, I am not displeased that our paths have crossed yet again."

He took another step towards her and she squeezed on the bars turning her knuckles white, forcing herself not to back away.

"Michael, at least try to explain, please," she said softly, her voice still steady and smooth, her only indication of false confidence.

Another step forward and he was dangerously close to her now.

His face was twisted strangely and his eyes were dark as he stared at her, perhaps even making her even more uncomfortable; a notion she thought that was impossible till now.

"What-" she started before he cut her off, moving the last step between them and placing his cold hands over hers, their fingers coiled together around the bars.

"As you can see Teyla, my human gene has been activating itself more than the last time we met. I'm afraid it has been affecting me considerably in more ways than one. There is…_confusion_….within me now, something I am not accustomed to, nor enjoy. Your death and the death of everyone on Atlantis would bring me great pleasure and yet….." his eyes trailed her body slightly before he continued. "And yet, _it would not_."

Teyla's heart beat fast and her fingers felt slimy with sweat underneath his clawed hands. She had to constantly remind herself of her predicament and that the child inside her deserved her attempts to remain calm and unharmed, no matter the cost, no matter the anger and disgust that rose inside her.

"Michael, I ask that you release me, not for the sake of myself, but for the sake of my child. I know you are aware of its existence and I beg for your mercy. We are the last of our kind and I know you, more than anyone, can understand what it means to be truly alone in this world."

Michael's eyes flicked upwards and he released her hands as though her skin was boiling hot. A sense of rage seemed to wash over him, a cold, uncaring expression now littering his face.

"Do not forget Teyla Emmagan why it is that I am this way. And do not attempt to share in my solitude for you are _not_ the last of your kind. You are simply the last that will ever know sunlight again," he said matter-of-factly as he turned from her and began to walk away.

A few moments passed as Teyla registered what he had said before she cried out to him, **"Where are my people?!"**

He stopped, turning once to look at her, before walking out of sight and into the darkness.

****


	33. Chapter 33

_Please leave a review...Spoilers for Season Four_

**-------------------------------------------**

**Stealth**

"Darkness lies in all of us Teyla…the sooner you accept that, the easier the transition will be."

Teyla lay helplessly strapped to the slab of cold metal centered among the towers of motionless bodies neatly stacked in rows and columns, each with numerous tubes and pipes leading in and out of them.

She silently wept for her people as they lay there so still, so close to her and yet farther away than ever before. They were lost she knew, gone to the darkness of Michael's black heart, if in fact, he even had one at all.

She attempted to heave against the wrist restraints as Michael neared her with a long dripping needle but it was to no avail. One of his clammy hands held the crook of her elbow steady and the other plunged the needle deep within.

She bit her lip in frustration and her eyes filled with tears as she thought about everyone she had failed. Her people were gone, Michael had lured her with false images allowing Teyla to put Atlantis in danger, and now her unborn child was another victim, a victim she felt, of her own weakness and inability.

Footsteps approached clacking softly against the cold metal floor as Michael extracted the needle. Teyla looked towards the noise and watched dazedly as Kanan approached quietly. She began to feel sick as he neared, her eyes focused on the implanted slits to each side of his nose, symbols she felt, marking the loss of his humanity.

He stood over her and looked at her, though Teyla felt as if his deadened eyes bore right through her and she forced herself to look away. Michael was still standing over her, the empty syringe still held in his hand and he smiled. Though it was not the smile of a triumphant victor or a sinister demon, he smiled so genuinely, so truly, that Teyla felt even more uncomfortable than she could have ever thought possible.

"It will take time Teyla, but I hope you will come to find you have a place here, more so than any other. And when that day comes, I will show you wonders of which you have never seen….You and the child….."

Teyla stared into Michael's face and felt defeat creeping slowly inside her chest, its vicious claws tickling at the back of her throat.

Suddenly, a loud clang of falling items came from the northernmost balcony of the cold storage room causing Kanan, Michael and Teyla to all look towards it.

Somewhere above, a muffled voice sounding slightly annoyed was heard saying "Oh crap….".


	34. Chapter 34

This is for Gator's birthday...Happy Birthday dude...SPOILERS FOR SEASON FIVE

**Alone**

The weight of the moment hung heavy on the chests; the unthinkable was imminent and an eerie silence hummed loudly in their ears. Teyla's grip on Sheppard forearm burned an unseen mark of hatred and fear as they stared together unmoving towards the scene before them.

Michael stood tall; his left arm crooked and bent holding Toran John close to his chest while the others looked on, a collective mass of terrified and frozen faces.

"John," Teyla barely whispered, a pleading desperation coating her voice, as she stood shakily beside Sheppard, his weapon steadily trained towards Michael triumphant face.

"I do not think you would shoot Colonel Sheppard. Not while I carry such an important and fragile thing such as this."

Michael's words were smooth as silk and his confidence oozed as his few remaining warped minions gathered behind him, opening and preparing the re-stolen Puddle Jumper in the Hangar Bay.

Michael's eyes moved from the tip of Sheppard's gun to the growing darkness in Teyla's eyes and he smiled; a real smile though, and not some devilish grin. His eyes seemed almost kind as the skin around them crinkled and the baby cooed happily in his arms causing a chill to run up everybody's spine.

"Teyla, have no fear. You child is as safe with me as he could ever be here. And if you so wish it, _if you so desire it_, there is room for you by my side as well. If you swear on the soul of your newborn son that you will bare us no insubordination and will serve willingly, you may yet continue to be part of your child's life…._and of mine_….."

The minions started the revamped Puddle Jumper and the whirring of mechanisms soon filled the air. Michael held out his hand towards Teyla and Sheppard felt her hand slip only a little off his forearm before he turned to her with glassy eyes.

"Teyla….._don't_……" he murmured. "We can get him back……."

"I have no choice John, I won't just leave him…." she said as a lone tear fell down her cheek. Her hand slipped fully from his arm and she stepped forward, her eyes trained on her child's smiling face.

John' face warped in agony as he watched her walk towards her child and its beastly captor.

Teyla did not look back and Sheppard let his eyes meet Michael with a newly hardened look dulling their usual shine.

"I'll be coming for you Michael………Make no mistake about that…….," Sheppard spoke harshly towards Michael who was quietly ushering Teyla into the ready transport.

Michael smiled again; though this time the intent behind it was exceedingly malicious.

"I look forward to it Colonel. Until then…….."

And with that Michael followed behind just as the end ramp closed up behind him; its final slam of metal causing Sheppard to blink back the urgent force of tears welling inside him.

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	35. Chapter 35

_This was written for Ruby Caspar's birthday...Hope you have a great one dude!_

**Till the End**

"So this is it then?"

"Yep."

"Well……I just want to say its-its been a real honor….I mean, if it wasn't for you….."

"I know big guy……_Believe me_, I know….."

"And if it gets too bad-"

"No mercy. We both decided…._remember_?"

"Till the end then…."

"Yup…till the end buddy…."

Ronon stepped forward and lashed out with a fist so strong that it sent Sheppard reeling into the nearby wall of the cold metallic Puddle Jumper. Sheppard lay crumpled on the floor for a moment or two before shaking the daze from his instantly throbbing head; he used the now slightly indented wall to brace himself to stand.

The Puddle Jumper continued on its fatal course towards the looming sun now only a few minutes before them as Rodney struggled futilely to return power to any or all of the main systems. The sweat on the scientist's forehead was severe and kept dripping onto the mobile console he furiously typed at perched awkwardly on his lap.

"Dammit!" Rodney screeched wiping at the flat screen with his cotton sleeve. He looked up angrily towards the two men. "Are you idiots gonna help?! I can't do this alone!"

Sheppard had rose fully and regained his composure, rushing at Ronon with his full strength and pinning him around the waist to the opposite wall before smoothly spinning his leg underneath him and sending Ronon careening upwards into the air. Ronon went crashing down so heavily to the floor that the already unstable Puddle Jumper shook mightily as it continued unwaveringly on its deadly path.

Sheppard smiled smugly as he stood triumphant over the dread locked Satedan who was putting a hand to the back of his own head and retrieved it with spatters of blood covering his calloused palm.

Ronon looked up and grinned widely before rolling over quickly and sending a very surprised Sheppard down to the floor to meet him. The two began to roll around violently, each of them with their hands wrapped around the others neck.

Rodney groaned and looked over at a very collected Teyla Emmagan who sat front and center at the main console as she also attempted to regain some control over the silent machine that now held their fate.

"Anything?!" Rodney called to her.

"No Rodney, I'm afraid rerouting power is going to have to be done manually. None of the controls are responding," she spoke calmly.

"Do you understand what it takes to _manually_ restart a Puddle Jumper Teyla? This isn't like hotwiring your father's car on a Friday night for Christ's sake! I don't have enough time before we reach the sun!" He was standing now and looked positively wild with his hands on his hips while sweat continued to pour from his forehead as the approaching sun was causing the internal temperature to spike drastically.

Teyla gave a tight-lipped smile and put a hand on Rodney's trembling shoulder.

"If anyone can do it Rodney, it is you."

They stood that way, fixed in time for a moment, as Rodney stared at the confidence behind Teyla's smooth brown eyes and he relaxed for a moment, but only just, as Colonel Sheppard went soaring past them having been thrown headfirst into the front control panel.

"They are unbelievable," Rodney muttered to himself as he momentarily watched Sheppard stand wobbly, blood now trickling from his nose and left ear.

Rodney made his way to the back of the Puddle Jumper as the temperature increased tenfold causing everyone to sway a bit under the duress.

Sheppard and Ronon now stood toe-to-toe, each of them massively battle-worn. Ronon's right eye was practically swollen shut and he had a deep laceration across the entirety of his chest. The two men grinned at each other and Sheppard moved first, striking Ronon square across the chin, causing his head to jerk sideways and falter back from the impact. Ronon gathered himself and rejoined Sheppard a red splotch covering the left side of his jaw.

He spat once, his blood-covered saliva hitting the floor with a splat before he swung out with a nasty uppercut that raised Sheppard right off his feet, though Sheppard barely caught his balance as he returned staggering to the floor.

The two men faced each other again now, both heaving great breaths as they tried to maintain their posture and pride.

Both raised their fists back poised to strike the other when Rodney shouted crazily, "I got it!" and the Puddle Jumper roared to life all around them.

Teyla instantly took control and veered them in the opposite direction of the fatal sun, its presence practically upon them.

Sheppard and Ronon stared hard and long at each other through blurred vision and wavering stances.

Sheppard spoke first, his red smeared teeth glinting through the machines now-active bright luminescent lights.

"So…….next time then……"

"Yep."

"I almost had you too……"

"Sure you did…."

"I did. I had my next move all planned out…….."

"Uh-huh….."

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